Pitch Black Comes to Storybrooke
by zoepeanut
Summary: In our world, magic exists if you know where to look. Belief is required to sense it, to see the beings that use it. Jack Frost is the only spirit left to fight back against Pitch Black, after Pitch destroyed nearly all the belief in our world. When Henry manages to bring that belief back for just a moment, both Pitch and Jack follow him back to Storybrooke for one final battle.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I am not the owner of ROTG or Once Upon a Time.

(Today, in New York)

It was a warm day, a day where Jack was powerless to do anything. He had enjoyed flying through the skies, watching silently as people almost began to believe again in this world. They had gathered by a well, all listening to the pleas of a young boy, making wishes and watching as that wish was granted. Jack had been given a brief moment of hope, flying closer and waiting for them to feel the shock of the truth. Instead, it was written off as the trick of some magician, not true magic. Jack had sighed, flying off towards a nearby roof and leaving them alone. Of course they didn't believe. None of them would, not anymore.

Even that boy, the one that had urged them to believe, had not been able to see him. Jack could still remember how long ago he had gained his curse, the ability to use powerful magic at a high cost. He had been living in this world for hundreds of years, watching technology advance and people grow less and less convinced of the existence of magic in the world. As their faith in technology grew, the Guardians had grown weaker and a certain someone came to exploit that very weakness in them all. They had come to Jack for help and now, Jack deeply regretted his decision so many years ago.

Speaking of the King of Nightmares, it did not take him long to find the winter spirit hiding within the city. Jack had given up years ago, letting Pitch do as he pleased with the world. Without his friends, without any support, Jack could do nothing to stand up against the man who had mastered his control over darkness and fear. Jack didn't even look up when Pitch appeared by his side, with a smirk on his face as he saw the sorry state of the once great Jack Frost. "Why, hello there Jack. Here I was thinking you were avoiding me, I suppose I was wrong." he announced, touching Jack's shoulder.

"What do you want?" Jack asked, still glaring at the city below. Pitch laughed at the boy, knowing he had won long ago. He had lost all hope and wasn't even going to try and fight back, regardless of the anger Pitch could hear in his voice. "Nothing at all, just a friendly little chat. I don't know what kind of stunt you pulled down there, but I suggest you back off before I get angry." he commented, remembering the hope and joy that had been here just moments ago. Jack was the only one left who could inspire such feelings, so Pitch knew that he was responsible.

"I did nothing. You know that I haven't resisted, not since Jaimie…" Jack replied, his voice going distant as he thought about the kid. Pitch would not allow him the pleasure of remembering his friend, though. "Enough with the games, Frost! I have won, this world belongs to me. I suggest you grow used to it and learn to accept the fear in the world." Pitch told him, scowling and flying off on one of his nightmares. Jack watched him fly off into the distance, thinking about his words. He had been afraid, afraid of the return of belief in the people here. It had happened for just a moment, so briefly, but it had been enough to frighten the King of Nightmares. Perhaps Jack did have a chance to make up for his past mistakes. Standing up and holding his staff tightly, Jack flew off with the wind, in search of the boy that had made people believe.

(Many years ago, in Burgess)

Jack had been playing with the children, laughing as he threw a snowball at them. "Gotta try harder than that, Jaimie!" he yelled out, knowing that he was invisible but unable to resist taunting him. Jaimie was laughing as well, throwing snow at his friends and having a good time with the snowball fight. Even when he slipped on some ice, Jack was able to make things fun for the boy. He slid through the town, laughing at his own crazy adventure while pedestrians rushed to get out of his way.

It wasn't until the end of that journey that Jack was reminded of the price of his magic, what he payed to bring this much fun to the children. "Check it out! I lost a tooth!" Jaimie had cried, making all his friend rush over and gush over the Tooth Fairy. She didn't have to worry about being invisible, not like Jack. No one believed in the winter spirit, they only saw the Guardians and no one else. Jack flew off, feeling lonely as he watched Sandy work his magic on the children of the city, creating dreams for everyone nearby.

As Jack watched the familiar sight, something began to change. The golden sand began to take on a darker color, turning black in front of his eyes. "What is that?" Jack asked, leaning forward and picking up his staff. As strange as it was, no one else seemed to mind. He flew through the town, trying to find the source of this magic. When he arrived at Cupcake's house, one of Jaimie's friends, he discovered what was happening.

A man was standing inside, dressed completely in black with grey tinted skin and piercing gold eyes. "What a beautiful little nightmare! Finally, my work has paid off. I will be able to rid this world of the Guardians, turning their own magic against them." he was saying, holding a small horse made out of black sand. It was growing quickly and Jack knew he needed to act fast if he wanted to protect his friends. "Get away from her!" he yelled, blasting ice into the dark man standing in the room. Pitch was thrown back against the wall and he stared at Jack in shock, before laughing at the boy he saw. "Jack Frost? Just what do you think you can do against me? Give me a cold?" he commented, shaking his head.

"You are useless, invisible to the world just like me. In time, you will learn to accept my vision and see things my way. The world is always better with just a little bit of fear." he announced, vanishing in what looked like a cloud of black smoke. Jack stared after him, knowing he had to stop him somehow. Then again, it wasn't his job to deal with Pitch. This was the Guardians' problem, not his. Jack shook his head, realizing that he shouldn't have done anything yet. He flew out of the room and back towards the roof he had been on, deciding to leave Pitch to the experts.

(Today in Storybrooke)

It did not take Jack long to find the strange barrier, surrounding an entire town for some strange reason. He grinned, glad for once that he was invisible to everyone. The caster had not believed in him and without that belief, he was as invisible to this barrier as he was to the caster. Jack felt a small amount of pressure as he passed through, just a side-effect of surrounding himself suddenly with magic. As soon as he was inside, Jack felt an immediate difference in himself and the world around him. He lost control of his flight, speeding up beyond what he had planned and tumbling through the air as he lost control.

It took Jack a few moments to steady himself and stop, hovering above what looked like a popular place in this town. Some kind of diner named Granny's. Jack took a moment to calm down before lowering himself to the ground, slowly. He would have to figure out what was going on with his magic later. Right now, he had a kid to find and a boogeyman to fight. He walked inside, following one of the residents of the town in order to see who might be present within.

The boy was there, much to his surprise, and he appeared to be focused on writing something down on a piece of paper. "What do you have there, kid? Is that a good book?" Jack asked him, giving him a small smile like he used to do around kids. It had been so long since he had even attempted to interact with them that he almost forgot how fun it could be. Jack froze as he saw what was written on the page, a story about himself in plain sight. It was the truth, his past and how he had met Pitch Black. Somehow, this boy knew about it and was writing every detail.

"Stop it, kid. They don't need to know about that." Jack said, getting upset. He didn't want to see more, didn't want to get to the end of his own story. Henry, who had been lost in the flow of magic as the story came to him, looked up at the sudden voice by his shoulder. The story stopped coming to him, making him lose his train of thought and forget about what was supposed to happen next. "Hey, is something wrong?" Emma asked, sitting next to him at the table he had been writing at. They had been spending more time together lately, after what he had done in New York. Regina's evil side had been vanquished and together, they had brought their family back together. Henry knew now that magic wasn't always the enemy, even if it came with a price.

Henry looked up at Emma, smiling at her and shaking his head. "Not at all. Just forgot where this story was going. You have no idea how much work there is in being the Author." he replied, glancing around the nearly empty diner. He gasped as he saw who was next to him, the very boy he had just been writing about. His story wasn't supposed to be here, though, not according to what he had written. Jack Frost was not from the Enchanted Forest, so why was he in Storybrooke? "Henry, don't lie to me. You know about my superpower. What's up?" Emma asked, noticing the strange behavior of her son. He was staring into thin air, as if something was there that he hadn't been expecting.

Jack was staring in shock, knowing that it was impossible for the kid to believe but unable to deny it either. "You…can you see me?" he asked, backing up slightly. This was not good, not with Pitch around. This had been a mistake, he never should have come. Involving kids was exactly what had gone wrong before! He couldn't be the one responsible for all that pain, that much loss again. Henry nodded, only frightening Jack further. "Look, I don't know how you know about me or why, but I suggest you just ignore me. My story isn't a happy one and you shouldn't be focused on it, kid." Jack told him, getting ready to walk out of the diner.

Henry stood up, ready to chase after the boy. He had looked like he was so young, but his face looked so haunted. Glancing down at what he had written, Henry decided that this was someone who needed their help. Maybe the Savior could bring him back to his former self, the one that Henry had written about in his book. "Henry, stop! What are you trying to do?" Emma asked, stopping Henry from running out of the diner without a word. "He needs our help, can't you see it?" Henry asked, not understanding what was going on. Why was Emma ignoring Jack?

Jack paused, staring at the argument that was about to begin. He sighed, shaking his head sadly at the boy. "All magic comes with a price, and this is mine. Belief is required to see me, Henry. Keep that in mind next time you see me, because no matter what people say, very few of them actually believe." he told Henry, walking out of the diner. This had been his chance, the one time Jack might be able to fight back. Why couldn't he do it? It was one kid, one boy in the grand scheme of things. Involving him would be worth it, if it saved the whole world from Pitch's fear and darkness. Glancing back at him, his eyes filled with pity and a desire to help, Jack couldn't bring himself to ask. The boy was far to pure, far to willing to believe, to risk for something that he shouldn't even be involved in.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Once Upon a Time or Rise of the Guardians.

 **Thank you to Fanfictionmax, MysteryGirl7Freak, ankruler101, and Kleoparda for following/favoriting this story!**

(Many years ago, around 1968, in Burgess)

Jack Frost was flying through the sky, laughing as he brought a snowstorm with him. It was Easter, a day that would normally bring warmer weather and signal the end of winter. Jack Frost had other ideas, especially when it meant messing with Bunny. After all, that guy was just as strict and rule abiding as the other Guardians. Jack never missed an opportunity to pull a prank on them and today was no exception.

Kids were in the park right now, looking for the eggs that Bunny had worked so hard to make and hide for them. Jack watched them for a moment, deciding to hold back just a little bit longer. "Hey kid, check behind the bush. He likes hiding them behind plants." Jack suggested, watching a little girl with blond pigtails search through the grass. Eventually, Jack's prediction proved to be correct when another child found the egg. It had been painted blue, with intricate little white designs all over it. "How can someone who acts so tough make things that look so…girly?" Jack asked, shaking his head.

He watched the search go on just a little longer, before deciding that things were getting just a bit too boring. "Alright, time to bring in the real fun." he announced, swinging his staff upwards toward the sky. A burst of blue light shot out from it, striking the clouds and calling forth the snow. As the white powder fell on the ground, the children were instantly distracted and forgot all about the eggs, focusing now on the wonder of snowfall in April.

Jack was not done yet, however. It did not take long for a thin layer of snow to build up on the ground, especially after Jack had frosted it over. He created one of his special snowballs, designed to bring out the fun in others, and threw it at random. The kid that was hit started laughing almost immediately, before turning around and throwing a snowball of her own. Pretty soon, the once normal egg hunt transformed into a massive free for all snowball fight, one which Jack was enjoying immensely. His fun was interrupted by a familiar Australian rabbit, running across the park in search of the winter spirit that had messed with his egg hunt.

"Frost, get back here you rascal! How dare you mess with my egg hunt?" he yelled, running through the children and ignoring them when they began to point and gasp in surprise at his presence. "Bunny, nice to see you as well. How've things been since last Easter? I see you've gotten some new design ideas." Jack commented, sitting on a bench and relaxing completely around the intimidating Guardian.

Bunny was not in the mood for his games, not today. The Guardians had just met and discussed the falling belief in the world, knowing that something had to be done soon to reverse the trend that was starting. Frost's actions were only making things worse, eliminating the belief in the Guardians by ruining their methods of making them believe. "I'm not in the mood for this, Frost! You better prepare yourself, because I am not going to hold back this time." Bunny threatened, pulling out one of his boomerangs and aiming for the mischievous spirit.

Jack saw the seriousness in Bunny's eyes, knowing that perhaps this was not the right time to play around. "Well, in that case I better head home now. My work here is done, after all." Jack told him, laughing as he flew off into the sky. He could still remember the glare on Bunny's face that day, the way the Guardian had looked like he wanted to destroy the winter spirit. Even if Bunny had hated him at the time, Jack treasured this memory above many others. It had been the start of their friendship, regardless of what Bunny had believed. That prank had been the day Jack decided to lay off for a while, focusing on gaining entry to North's workshop instead. His lapse in focus on Bunny was what helped Bunny forgive him, and ultimately led to an understanding between the two of them. Even with that understanding, it had not been enough when faced with the threat of Pitch Black.

(Today, in Storybrooke)

"It's just like when you first came to Storybrooke, you need to believe in order to help him." Henry was explaining as they walked through town, in search of this mysterious Jack Frost that Henry had written about. While Emma had come a long ways in terms of belief, this was where she had to draw the line. Fairy tail characters and magic might be real, but she just could not accept that childhood stories like Santa Clause and the Tooth Fairy existed. It didn't take them long to find Jack, because Jack had actually noticed a familiar presence in the town, heading straight for the boy he had just seen.

Pitch Black was riding through the sky, in search of the one boy that had somehow regained belief in the world. Pitch had not spent years hunting down children and snuffing out belief for one child to ruin it all. He glared at the brown haired boy below him, preparing his magic to eliminate the kid once and for all. He held his arm back, creating a black wave of magic that felt different to Pitch, but he did not care. It would still accomplish his goal, so he threw the black ball of energy towards the child, who was too focused on the road in front of him to notice. Jack Frost saw it coming and took a risk, knowing how unstable his magic was when he first arrived but feeling the need to help regardless.

Jack held his staff out, aiming and blasting the darkness with his own ice, freezing it within the air and causing Henry to duck underneath the explosion. "Run! Get out of here while you can!" Jack told them, flying over the kid and glaring at Pitch Black. "No way. That's not how we do things around here. We stick around till the end and we never abandon a friend in need." Henry told him, getting up and stepping closer to Jack. His words reminded Jack of Jaimie, of how brave that kid had been and exactly what had happened as a result.

"I know you want to help, but this fight is bigger than you can imagine." Jack warned, hoping to get the kid away. Pitch, however, had already noticed Jack's presence here. "I knew you were involved, Frost! Do you not remember my warning? Do you really think you can defeat me, all alone and with no Guardians to help you?" Pitch yelled down, landing his nightmare and standing in front of the winter spirit. "My old offer still stands, Jack. Join me, and we can rule this world together." he said in a softer voice, holding his hand out to the winter spirit.

Jack felt a shiver run through his body, knowing how similar he was to this man but also knowing that he would never want that future. "No way! I'm not that desperate, not yet at least." Jack told him, glaring at Pitch but feeling himself waver. It had been so long since he actually fought, since he had stood up against Pitch Black. "Then die along with the rest of your friends! You will regret this decision, Jack Frost!" Pitch announced, blasting darkness at the winter spirit now instead of Henry. Henry was still trying to figure out who they were fighting. Clearly, they suffered from the same curse as Jack, needing belief to be seen, but Henry did not know who it was.

Jack countered the darkness with his own ice, feeling stronger here and more confident. The magic in the air seemed to strengthen him, making him wonder just what he was capable of now. For a moment, Jack had hope that he might actually win this battle. It seemed like he was beginning to overpower Pitch, at least until Pitch used his other ability to his advantage. "Are you sure this is what you want, Jack? To watch those around you suffer once more? You know what will happen in the end. Do you really want a repeat of what happened with Jaimie Bennet?" he taunted, making Jack shake with rage and pain. "Shut up! You have no idea what you're talking about!" Jack yelled, losing control and creating an outburst of ice everywhere, nearly striking Henry and Emma as well as Pitch.

Pitch laughed in response, shaking his head at Jack. "Just as I feared. You are still nothing but the boy who wants people to believe, who wants to understand why he is here. This game is over, Jack, it ended years ago. I will be back and when I return, I will make sure that you are put in your place." Pitch announced, flying off on his nightmare once more. Jack was shaking, afraid of himself and of Pitch's very words. He was always able to get to the core of how he was feeling, to read exactly what he was afraid of. It was his gift, as the King of Nightmares.

"Jack, are you okay?" Henry asked, getting up off of the ground. He had dove down during the blast of ice, recognizing the loss of control from his brief experience with Elsa. Jack closed his eyes for a few moments, trying to calm himself after battling with Pitch. He kept seeing the past behind his eyes, knowing that this might very well be a repeat of exactly what happened all those years ago. "Arg!" he grunted, thrusting his staff in front of him and releasing some of his magic in his anger and frustration. It nearly destroyed the house they were walking in front of, stopping just before it hit the building but taking out the mailbox and the yard as it traveled.

"Hey, kid, what was that?" Emma asked, realizing they had been under attack but unable to see any of it. She had seen the ice suddenly appear in front of them, as if it came from no where. Henry was staring at it and shaking his head at the boy, clearly disappointed. "That isn't going to work. If you want to solve your problems, you have to fight and get help from friends. That is how you are going to earn your happy ending." he told Jack, walking away with Emma. They could help him later, once he had calmed down, Henry decided.

Jack shook his head, watching them leave before responding to Henry's comment. "I tried that once and it ended miserably, for all of us. Next time, take a look at my whole story before you make suggestions, kid." he murmured, sighing and flying off after him. Pitch would be back, after all. Someone needed to protect Henry and since the Guardians weren't around to take that job, Jack would step in and help.

(Many years ago, in the North Pole)

Jack had tried countless numbers of ways to get inside the workshop, all of which failed. His first attempt had been simple, trying to sneak around to the back door to get inside and see what went on within. After all, christmas had been close so North had to be focused on making toys right now, not dealing with potential intruders. As soon as he took a step near the door, a menacing looking creature appeared, covered in hair and almost six feet tall. It was on of the yetis, and it was clearly upset with Jack.

"Uh, hi there. Excuse me, just for a moment please." Jack said with a smile, hoping it was not all that bright. The yeti glared at him, making some kind of grunting noise before picking Jack up and walking off. "Hey, what do you think you're doing? Put me down!" Jack complained, before the yeti threw him into a pile of snow, face first. The yeti walked off, returning to the workshop, while Jack sat up, laughing at what had happened. "That was fun! Looks like North wants to play a little game with me. One day, I will get past those yetis of his and when I do, he's gonna be in for a real surprise." Jack commented, flying off for the day.

The next day marked his second attempt to gain entry to the workshop, and it was even simpler than his first attempt. They had gotten upset because he was using the wrong entrance, at least that was what Jack was thinking. Maybe if he knocked on the front door politely, he could avoid being thrown out. He nodded towards the yetis as he walked up to the door, ignoring their glares as he prepared to tap on the door with his staff. Just like before, he felt an arm wrap around his waist and throw him away from the workshop, sending him sprawling into the snow laughing. "Alright, you win again. See you tomorrow, Phil!" he yelled, recognizing the yeti from last time. After all, he deserved a name for his part in this game.

On and on, these games continued for Jack, providing him with the distraction he needed from his own curse. He was happy, trying to sneak inside just to get a glance and how the toys were made. The yetis grew more and more watchful over the years, learning to memorize the face of Jack Frost as soon as they began their job protecting the workshop. Jack only saw this as a bigger challenge, one that he would not let go of anytime soon.

He still remembered the first time he actually got inside the workshop, a day that should have been filled with amazement and fun after all of his efforts. Instead, it had not been his own trick that got him inside, but one of the yetis themselves. Jack had been flying down the streets of Burgess, minding his own business, when suddenly Bunny appeared and chased after him. "Hey Bunny, it's been a long time hasn't it?" Jack called back, knowing he had abandoned his snowy Easters for a while. Bunny only glared, but he was smiling as well. Jack frowned, turning to see what he was smiling at only to run into the chest of one of the yetis that had been standing behind him, waiting for his arrival.

Another one appeared and both of them restrained Jack, holding him in front of Bunny for just a moment. "Easter of '68, I believe. Anyway, that's not what this is about." he told Jack, grinning at the state of the young prankster. Jack struggled against the yetis, trying to break free, before they shoved him into a bag and traveled through some kind of portal. "You go ahead. I'll take my own way there, mate. See you at the pole." he heard Bunny say, just before he was thrown into the portal, sending him somewhere across the world.

They arrived inside the workshop, Jack feeling stunned as he recognized all of the Guardians here. He had a sinking feeling, wondering if this had something to do with the man he had seen in Cupcake's room last week. Jack didn't want to be involved, but he might get dragged into this mess anyway it seemed. "Good, you are all here!" North announced, in a cheery voice as he saw Bunny and Jack arrive. Getting up and brushing himself off, Jack started glancing around at where he was. He could see toys everywhere, along with yetis and elves walking throughout the building.

"Wait, this is your workshop? I've been trying to get in here for years!" Jack exclaimed, grinning as he flew over towards one of the yetis, who was working hard on painting some toy robots. "See? What did I tell you? He is completely irresponsible, there is no way he could be one of us." Bunny commented, watching as Jack accidentally knocked over all of the toys in front of him, turning around with a sheepish grin. "Oops. I'll…fix that later." he said, not noticing the looks of the others. "Jack, we have big news! You have been chosen, to be a Guardian!" North announced, ignoring the small little mistake of the winter spirit.

Jack froze, knowing that this was not for him. He couldn't be like the Guardians, always following the rules and trying to bribe children. He wanted to have fun, be friends with the children not some magical hero. Ignorant of his thoughts, the elves started playing a triumphant song, celebrating his entry into the legendary group of Guardians, one which started to annoy Jack quickly. "Stop it! I am not a Guardian and I never will be. All you guys do is bribe children and do paperwork. That is not for me, not now and not ever." Jack told them, slamming his staff against the ground and sending a path of frost towards the elves that refused to stop playing. The Guardians stared at Jack in shock, moving to help him understand, but he was already leaving. That was his first mistake, abandoning the Guardians. He did not know just how badly they needed him, but he would find out soon enough.

 **Please review and tell me what you think!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** I am not the owner of Rise of the Guardians or Once Upon a Time.

 **Okay, just so you guys know, I've decided to change something from the original series to make this story a bit less complicated. It will only focus on Pitch and Jack, so Dr. Jekyll never left the Land of Untold Stories with the rest of the group. Sorry if that causes any confusion, but I just didn't feel like I could work them in there without this being far too confusing to follow. Thank you to Avampiress and hilli98215 for following my story! Special thank you to I.C.2014 for the first review on this story!**

(Today in the Land of Untold Stories)

Rumplestiltskin had one thought on his mind, one mission to accomplish here. His wife had been taken to this land and he intended on getting her back, through any means necessary. Hyde was certainly an annoying man, trying to get more than he was worth in this deal. "Wait! I know how..you can wake Belle." he gasped, as Rumple began strangling him for not returning his wife to him upon his arrival. Hearing this, his determination wavered and he dropped the man, releasing his magic and allowing him to speak for just a moment.

"Tell me." he said, two simple words that contained all his anger and hatred for this man. Hyde was still gasping, rubbing his neck now that the invisible force was gone. "I think it is time to revise our deal, Rumple." he replied, giving the Dark One a smile. Rumple was not having this, not when his wife was in danger. Hyde found himself being strangled again, just seconds after his suggestion. "Very well. You tell me what you know, and I will consider letting you live." Gold threatened, knowing that he could still get Belle away from him if he was dead.

Hyde knew he had asked for too much, barely managing to nod his acceptance to Rumple's deal. "Good man. Now, tell me how I can wake Belle." Rumple asked, kneeling down in front of Hyde. "There is a man, a man with magic beyond your imagination and control over dreams. If anyone can help you, he can." Hyde explained, backing away as he saw the glare on Gold's face. "Who is this man? Where can I find him?" he demanded, holding his cane in front of him and leaning against it as he spoke.

Things were going to get bad, Hyde realized. He couldn't give the Dark One the answers he was looking for, not completely. "He's known as the Sandman! No one has seen him for years, though. He disappeared, back when-" he broke off, realizing that the rest was unimportant for the Dark One to know. No one needed to know about Pitch Black, it would only help his power grow and lead to more overpopulation of his world here. "Not good enough! You will find him for me, if you want to survive Hyde. When you do, be sure to send me a message." Gold told him, grabbing Pandora's box off of the table and walking out. Gold would find this Sandman and he would make sure that he would wake Belle.

(Many years ago, in Burgess)

Paul Black had a rough childhood, always standing out amongst the other children. He believed in magic, in things that were impossible to exist in the world. He had no choice, after all what else would give him hope? "I'll always believe." he whispered towards the sky, hoping to find just a small piece of this magic. He had heard the rumors, the rumors of the shadow that could take him to a land where he would never grow old. Even so, the shadow never came and Paul was left staring out at the night sky in loneliness.

He walked outside, feeling alone and lost. He had always been afraid of the others, the ones that refused to listen to his beliefs. Tonight, they were looking for the boy that did not belong in their town. "There he is! The kid who thinks fairies are going to solve all of our problems." one of the boys yelled, pointing at Paul. Paul backed up, feeling afraid of his own town and wishing someone could help him fight back. As the kids stepped closer and surrounded Paul, he began to cry softly and stare at the ground, praying for it to end soon. "You should just work like the rest of us!" one kid yelled, as he grabbed Jack's shirt and shoved him to another boy behind him. "We all help on the farms but you go off in your own little dream world and _wish_ for things to change!" the other boy yelled, pushing him around the circle once more. "It's never going to help anything" the last one said, this time shoving him onto the ground.

"You watch, one of these days, I'm going to make you fear me!" he cried, getting up and preparing to run home. He heard the kids laughter echoing behind him, amused at his comments. "Little Paul Black, making _us_ afraid? That'll happen the same day this magic you believe in starts to appear." one of them sneered, making Paul stop for just a moment. He stared at the sky, with the full moon shining brightly above him. He was afraid, but he was tired of being picked on, of losing this fight to people who would never understand. He clenched his hands into fists, deciding to stay and be brave for once in his life. He would show them, he could make them believe.

(Today, in an unknown world)

Sandy was waking up, blinking around the same place he had been trapped inside of for years. He was supposed to be dead, just like the belief that children once had. He did not know where he was, or what had happened, only that there was nothing here. No dreams, no hope, and no wonder left in this world or in any world, now that the Guardians were gone. Surrounding him was a blank world, white nothingness and complete silence everywhere. The only signs of life were the Guardians themselves, all of which were in various states of disorientation and weakness.

Bunny was back in his original form, that of a small rabbit that could be a child's pet. He was shivering on the ground, feeling so weak and hardly even able to grasp at his own thoughts. He was lost and hungry, looking for carrots but knowing that there wouldn't be any here. He and his friends had lost, and now this was their fate. He felt a slight shimmer in the air, the sensation of a portal almost forming but vanishing in seconds. This happened every so often here, but the Guardians did not know the cause.

Sandy was the strongest of the Guardians, even in his weakened state. Tooth could barely stand and North was the same, leaning on his swords every time he tried to get up from the ground. While Sandy might not be able to utilize his dream sand here, he was able to focus and think of what they could do. Jack Frost was their only hope now, if Pitch could be stopped once he had gained so much power through fear.

Sandy watched the ripple form again, this time a bit stronger than before. Something was happening, making that portal stronger and connecting this world to another, but they were too weak to rush over and get out through it. This time, the portal opened in full, bringing new individuals through into their world of nothingness. "Well, good doctor, it seems as if you have made yourself useful for once." one of the two men said, the one with dark black hair and red in his eyes. "Now, if only I could figure out where we are, then I have held up my end of the bargain." he continued, while the doctor stayed back in fear of his evil half.

Sandy watched them in silence, unable to communicate without his dream sand. He had learned that the stronger the magic someone was given, the greater the price. His ultimate control of dreams and the realm of sleep had given him an extra price, the inability to speak while he was awake. He managed to make do with his sand images, but without belief he could not create any of them. "Well, you sure are a sorry lot, aren't you?" Hyde commented again, staring at the Guardians in their collapsed state. "Well, that is not my problem. I only agreed to find you for the Dark One, not help regain your strength." he continued, shaking his head at the once mighty Guardians of the world.

"With all due respect, Hyde, shouldn't we help them anyway? They are clearly in need of medical attention and-" Doctor Jackyl was saying, before Hyde's glare silenced him. "That is none of our concern. I suggest you learn your place, doctor." Hyde warned, before focusing on the one man that appeared to be focused on them. "Ah, there he is! You must be the Sandman!" he greeted, holding his hand out towards the golden man in front of him. Sandy did a slight bow, ignoring the hand out of distrust for this man and his dark presence. Something about his darkness reminded Sandy of Pitch, something he did not want to remember.

Hyde laughed and pulled back his hand, amused at the magical creature's silence. "Well, I do suppose we have a trip ahead of us, don't we? The Dark One ordered one Sandman and I shall do my best to deliver." Hyde announced, grinning at the Sandman who was now turning around and walking away. Sandy was too tired to move any faster, and that was exactly why he lost. He felt Hyde grab his arm, yanking him back and forcing him to lose his balance. Sandy stumbled along, following after him unwillingly. The portal opened once more, and this time, Sandy was forced through it, leaving his friends behind.

(Many years ago, in Burgess)

Pitch lost that fight so many years ago, when he had been known as Paul. It hadn't been his first loss, nor would it be his last. None of the children had noticed how Pitch crawled away when they were done, hiding in a dark place between the homes where most families lived. Paul had lost his family a long time ago, being forced to live on his own and beg for food. This was why he had to believe in magic, it was the only way he could have any hope for his life. Without magic, nothing would improve for a poor boy without the strength to defend himself.

He grew older after that day, still holding true to his beliefs and staying strong within the cruel world that he lived in. It wasn't until he turned fourteen that he met the one person that changed everything for him, a girl named Lucy. She was young and innocent, with a bright smile that could lift anyone's mood. Her eyes were a bright blue and her hair was a light brown, stretching down to the center of her back as she ran through the streets. She was in a hurry to get home, her parents were going to be so upset. She was only supposed to be gone for a few minutes, to discuss trading arrangements with their neighbors. Instead, she had stayed there for hours, speaking with the family about their work and how their life was going.

As she ran, she stopped when she saw a boy standing in the street, his head hung low as another boy laughed in his face. Even if she didn't know what it was about, Lucy could not stand the thought of anyone being cruel to someone else. They were all supposed to work together, to support each other not tear each other down. This was the belief she held deep in her heart, the one that forced her to rush forward and defend this stranger. "Just what do you think you're doing?" she demanded, glaring at the man that had been laughing.

Paul was startled, glancing up at the girl that had come over here. He had never seen her before, but she was clearly defending him. "He's the idiot that believes in magic! What do you think I'm doing?" the bully taunted, thinking this girl was stupid. Lucy only glared at him further, annoyed with his tone. "I don't care what he believes! That does not give you the right to torment him." she said, crossing her arms over her chest. She was not going to let this continue, not today.

"Whatever. This isn't even worth the effort anymore. Paul, we'll pick this up next time, when a _girl_ isn't around to defend you." he commented, getting in one last barb before running off towards their town. Lucy stared at the boy, with pitch black hair and soft, brown eyes in front of her. He looked so lost and scared, she knew she had to help. "Hey, it's going to be alright." she told him, grabbing his hand and smiling at him. Seeing that smile, Paul almost found himself believing her. "I'm Lucy!" she said in a perky voice, waiting for him to introduce himself. "Paul, Paul Black." he replied quietly, still staring at the ground.

"You sure are a shy one, aren't you? Well, I'm going to be your friend, from now on. So, do you really believe in magic?" she asked, curious and deciding she might as well seal her fate and stay her for a while. Paul nodded, waiting for her to tease him just like the others did. "That's amazing! I wonder what it can do. Can it heal the sick? Does it bring back the dead? Can it help you find love?" she asked, her eyes wide with curiosity as she tried to learn more about how he saw the world. After all, wouldn't the world be better with just a little bit of magic?

 **Sorry, no Jack or Storybrooke in this chapter, but he will be back next time! Please review and tell me what you think!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:** I do not own ROTG or Once Upon a Time

 **Thank you to Flamest57 for following this story!**

(Today, in Storybrooke)

Jack didn't know what he was doing anymore. He had told himself to let Pitch win, but he just couldn't sit back and do nothing. Pitch had caused too many people so much pain and loss for him to let Pitch take over this world. That was why he was following Henry, simply because it was something that might help take down Pitch once and for all. Henry noticed Jack following him, but he decided to ignore the boy. If he wanted to do things on his own, then Henry would let him do just that.

"Mom, are you home?" Emma called out, knocking on the door for their apartment. She needed to warn them about this new threat, the magic that had appeared in front of her. While she didn't know what their intentions were, she could tell that their magic was dangerous and needed to be contained somehow. Snow opened the door, smiling at her daughter. "Come in, what brings you here? I thought you and Hook decided to move in together?" she asked, stepping aside and letting Emma walk in.

Jack couldn't help snickering at the name, finding it funny simply because it was so strange. "Hook? What kind of a name is that?" he asked, more to himself than anyone else. Henry glanced at him, realizing that even if he was magical, he didn't know about the other worlds. Storybrooke was going to be a big surprise for him it seemed. "Looks like we've got trouble in town, again." Emma said with a sigh, before explaining the strange incident with the ice.

"Come on, it wasn't that bad! You could have just gone skating on it, but apparently, you think it is nothing but some strange attack plan." Jack complained, not liking being labeled as a villain. It grouped him together with Pitch, something he would not allow to happen. Henry shook his head, knowing he had to add to the conversation. He pulled out the book he had been writing earlier, deciding that even if it was incomplete, it might help explain a few things. "I think I might know where that ice came from. I wrote this, earlier today." he told them, letting them read the new story.

Jack glared at him, not wanting this to become public knowledge. His past belonged to him, not everyone he happened to walk by. "They don't need to know about that." he commented, glancing at the one person who believed in him. "What's the problem? This is your story, right? Don't you want to find your happy ending?" Henry asked, glancing at the boy who had suddenly become solemn and serious at the sight of the book. The temperature in the room dropped slightly as well, in response to Jack's distress. "My happy ending is gone already. Nothing can change that, not anymore." he replied, staring down at his staff with a look of utter sadness.

"Henry, who are you talking to?" Snow asked, looking up from the story she had been reading. It had been interesting, learning about a boy with magic so similar to Elsa's but who had complete control over it. There were so many other stories out there, that she had never even heard of. This Jack Frost seemed like such an interesting guy, she almost wished she knew which land he was from. Suddenly, a boy appeared right in front of her eyes, making her let out a small shriek as she jumped back in surprise.

Jack's eyes widened and he was torn between happiness and fear once again. These people believed so easily, but that would only bring them more danger from Pitch. "Mom, what is it?" Emma asked, searching for the danger. Hearing the commotion, Charming came downstairs to investigate what was going on. "What is going on down here?" he demanded, seeing the sight of Henry, Snow, and Emma all surrounding a table with one of Henry's stories on it. He walked over, leaning over the table and starting to read the story he saw. "Please, tell them to stop. I can't…no one can believe, not again." Jack begged, knowing what would happen. He didn't understand why, but these people believed in the truth of that story, so he had to stop this as soon as possible.

"What land is this one about?" Charming asked, knowing he had never even heard of this town let alone seen it. Burgess, it was such a strange name and it clearly didn't belong in his world. "I don't know. It just came to me at Granny's." Henry replied, taking the book back and giving Jack a concerned glance. The boy didn't seem to be doing too well and Henry wanted to help. "What are you guys talking about? What do you mean by the 'land' I come from?" Jack asked, glancing at Henry and then at Snow, knowing she could hear him as well.

Charming was the next one to earn a big shock as he heard the voice behind him, one that sounded like it belonged to some teenager. Turning around, he saw a boy with white hair and icy blue eyes, carrying a staff by his side with his hand shoved into the sleeve of his blue hoodie. "Seriously, are you guys really buying into this?" Emma asked, not understanding how they could believe in something so absurd this easily. "Emma, you need to learn to open your mind. After all, have Henry's stories ever been wrong before?" Snow asked, letting the realization sink into Emma. They were all real, because Henry had written about them. Even if they hadn't existed before, the very act of writing this story created them, with the magic of the Author.

Jack sighed, realizing that everyone now believed in the room. "Well, glad to know you all see me now." he commented, shaking his head at them. "Would anyone care to answer my question?" he asked, once again feeling confused about their earlier conversation. "Well, we are from a world known as the Enchanted Forest. There are many lands, all different and with different characters. We were just wondering which land you came from? Was it Neverland, Oz, Arendelle, or even the Land of Untold Stories?" Snow asked, recovering from her shock quicker than the others.

Jack had never heard of any of those places, outside of a few movies he had seen while spending time with Jaimie. "Not familiar with any of those, sorry. I'm from Burgess, just like that book said." he replied, swinging his staff over his shoulder as he walked around the apartment. It was small, especially for a family this size. "So, how did you end up in Storybrooke?" Emma asked, curious to know how he had managed to find a portal. They were so rare now and she remembered their own struggles with creating them after their own journeys to other lands.

"In case you didn't notice, I can fly. Didn't take me long to get here with the help of the wind." he told them, not understanding their confusion. "I think she is wondering how you created a portal. Getting to a land without magic is a tough feat, one that took even the Dark One centuries to accomplish." David said, trying to clarify the question for the boy. Jack laughed, throwing his head back at his words. No magic in this world? Did no one see his curse, what came with his magic? This world was filled with magic. As long as you believed, you would be able to sense the magic and utilize it.

"A land without magic? Have you not heard a word I've said? I don't need portals to travel from one city to another, do I?" he asked them, shaking his head at the group. Their eyes all widened in shock, hearing that Jack was from here. It was impossible, but there was no denying his words. "This..is your world? You're from this land?" Snow asked, not believing that a magical being could exist here. "Magic is everywhere, you just have to believe in it to see it." Jack told her, his gaze growing distant.

"Okay, we know where you are from. Now, tell me what you want with Storybrooke." Emma asked, not trusting this kid quite yet. Jack glanced around at the group in the apartment, debating how much to tell them. "My plans don't matter. All you need to worry about is Pitch Black." he told them, staring out the window towards the moon. Pitch was still here, taunting Jack with his presence but never revealing himself. "Fine, I'll play this little game of yours. What does this Pitch Black want?" Emma asked, trying to get some kind of answer from the boy. Jack hesitated before answering, knowing that this would not be good news for them. "To destroy what we all want, belief. On top of that, he wants revenge. He plans on destroying this town in order to eliminate the small amount of belief that has resurfaced in the world. Alone, I cannot stop him. I came to find help, if anyone is willing to stand and fight against him."

(Many years ago, in Burgess)

Jack had returned home, forgetting about the offer to become one of the Guardians. Yes, it would increase his power and help him be seen, but it came with a price just like everything else. His very existence would become tied to that belief, ending as soon as that belief died. With how little children believed in him now, he found it hard to believe he would last long as a Guardian. He flew over to Jaimie's window, smiling down at the boy sleeping inside. He tapped his staff against the glass, creating a small intricate design of frost across the surface.

Jaimie woke up from the sudden chill in the air, rolling over and staring at his frosted window. He was sleepy, but that didn't change the fact that he could see patterns being drawn within the ice. His eyes began to widen, wondering just what was behind that window. He got up, pressing his hand against the glass and realizing just what it was. "Frost. Wait a second…Jack Frost." he whispered, making the connection to his mother's words before he played out in the snow.

Jack heard those words, feeling them pull him inside without even noticing it. No one said his name, not with belief and awe like Jaimie just did. "Did…did you just say…" he began to ask, watching the kid's jaw drop as he stared at the boy in his room. "Jack Frost!" he exclaimed, a bit more excitedly. "Wait, can you see me?" Jack asked, watching Jaimie nod in response. "Can you hear me?" he asked, still not quite able to believe what had happened. When the kid nodded again, Jack couldn't contain his joy at finally being freed from his invisibility, jumping up and flipping in the air before landing again.

"Whoa, how did you do that?" Jaimie asked, his eyes wide with wonder. Jack grinned at the kid, at his first believer. "I'm the winter spirit, did you think a small thing like gravity would stop me?" he asked, this time jumping up and staying in the air to demonstrate his magic. "Awesome! What else can you do?" Jaimie asked, feeling wide awake now. He wanted to stay up all night, talking with Jack and making a new friend. After all, it wasn't like Jaimie found proof of his beliefs very often. As a matter of fact, this was the first time he had seen any of them and it was far too rare of an opportunity for him to just ignore because he was tired.

Jack grinned at the boy, getting a plan in mind. "You ready to have some fun tonight, Jaimie?" Jack asked, landing and crouching by the boy's bed. Jaimie nodded, eager to discover what Jack was planning. "Come on, then. I suggest you hold on tight, kid, and keep your eyes open. There are amazing things to see when you are soaring above the town, after all." Jack told him, seeing the wide eyes of the kid as he realized that Jack was planning on flying around with him. He laughed as he jumped out the window, eventually being joined by Jaimie's laughter as well. Together, the two of them set off on an adventure that neither of them would ever forget. This was the start of their friendship, the day that was the best day in Jack's life and Jaimie's as well.

 **Please review and tell me what you think!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer:** I do not own ROTG or Once Upon a Time.

 **I've got a bit of a longer chapter ready for you to read! Thank you all for reading my story!**

(Today, in the Land of Untold Stories)

Rumplestiltskin had been waiting patiently and his patience was about to be rewarded. He wasn't always known for his patience, but he had learned it during his search for his son years ago. Now, he was waiting for the key to awaken his wife, so he could be reunited with her and his unborn child. He knew that one day, she would understand his choices and accept that this was who he was. It would only be a matter of time. As he stood within the room, waiting for Hyde's return, he was staring at the box which held his wife. He missed Belle so much, but soon his wait would be over.

A portal opened up in front of him, making him realize that his wait would be over. He pocketed the box, standing in front of the portal and preparing to either kill Hyde, or take the Sandman away from here. "I see you've returned." Rumple commented, watching the Jeckyll walk through first, followed by Hyde who was dragging a strange, golden man behind him. "There you are, Dark One. I've brought him as you requested. Now, please be on your way." Hyde told him, ready for this to be over. He just wanted to go back to ruling over this world, where no one would dare to oppose him. Rumple glanced at the man, who was silent and stumbling across the ground. Yes, there was magic in him but it was weak and useless.

"Are you trying to get yourself killed? This man is far to weak to do anything to benefit me." Rumple asked, glancing at Hyde with a slight smirk. He was not going to let the man get away with a trick like this, not when he had the power of all the Dark Ones combined. "I swear, this is how he was when I found him. The cause is unknown, but I'm certain that with your abilities you can reverse his weakened state." Hyde insisted, afraid for the first time of the man in front of him. He had always been so confident in his plans, but this man was far too dark to be predicted. "Perhaps there is a way." Rumple whispered, picking up the golden man by his shirt. "My name is Rumplestiltskin, and you are going to help me bring back my wife." he announced.

Sandy felt fear build up inside of him, something that hadn't happened since the battle with Pitch. This man was far worse than anyone he had faced, worse than even Pitch Black himself. Regardless of what this Rumplestiltskin did to him, Sandy would not help him. He was a Guardian, responsible for protecting his world. This man would destroy it, if given the chance. He stumbled along, being dragged once more, behind this man. "Safe travels, Dark One. Please come again." Hyde said in a fake cheery voice from behind them, giving Rumple a small wave. Gold chuckled slightly, amused with his behavior. This was weak for someone who was supposed to be nothing but evil. Rumple could do far better, but this was not his world. He was going home, where he would discover how to return magic to the weak man in his hands.

(Many years ago, in Burgess)

Paul and Lucy were close for years, with her believing in him everyday. He had finally found someone who could believe, just like he did. With that, things seemed to improve with his life. Lucy's family took him in, letting him live on the farm in return for helping in the fields. He didn't mind the work and it gave him a chance to talk with Lucy as they worked. At night, they would stare at the sky and wish on the stars, for some sign of the magic they both knew had to exist in the world.

"Paul, what's your wish, the one you want magic to grant for you?" Lucy asked one night, lying down in the grass by his side. Paul thought about it, uncertain after all of these years. As a child, it would have been for the return of his parents. Now, he had a new family and people he cared about. The only thing left to get rid of was his fear, the fear of all the people in town who refused to believe and tried to change him. "I would like to get rid of my fear, to be happy instead of afraid all the time." he told her after a moment, his smile turning into a frown. Even just thinking about it made him afraid, but Lucy understood. "Well, I would wish for everyone to have that. No one should live their life in fear of anything and everyone deserves to find happiness. Don't you agree?" she asked, turning her head towards Paul.

He nodded, but inside he couldn't quite bring himself to agree with her. All of the people that hurt him, that kept hurting him, he didn't want to see them happy. He wanted them to understand what they had put him through, but he knew that would never happen. "I would wish for magic. To have it for myself." he added, thinking of a way to make that happen. If he was magical, if he could use that power, he would be able to show them the truth and make them regret hurting him. Paul was intrigued with the idea and he spoke before thinking much about it.

Lucy frowned, not quite agreeing. "That wouldn't be fair, Paul. One person can't own magic, it belongs to all of us. That's what makes it so amazing and wonderful." she argued, always thinking of everyone else. Paul gave her a small smile and let out a little laugh. "Of course, I was only joking. If anything, everyone should have magic. That way, everyone could see the world like we do." he told her, feeling calm and peaceful under the night sky. Suddenly, he heard a strange voice in his head. _I shall grant your wish, but be warned, all magic comes with a price._ He frowned, trying to clear his mind and figure out where that voice had come from.

"Paul, is something wrong?" Lucy asked, seeing his confusion. He shook his head, lying back down on the ground. "No, it's nothing. I thought I heard something." he told her, frowning even further as the voice returned. _Belief is your price, for without belief you will remain unseen to the world around you._ He rubbed his head, realizing that the voice was coming from inside of him, not outside. "Well, I think that your idea is amazing. Everyone needs a little magic in their life." she told him, leaning closer to his side. Paul smiled softly, happy to have someone who believed like he did. He fell asleep on the ground with her, forgetting about the voice and his worries for just one night.

(Today, in Storybrooke)

Jack had been standing in the apartment, bored and waiting for the others to finish discussing what to do about himself. He knew that they were worried, but Jack didn't want their concern. They didn't know if they could help against Pitch Black, but Jack had no one else to turn to. He sighed and frosted over the window, drawing pictures of his old friends within the frost. He missed the Guardians, something he never expected to happen. They might have been strict and always following rules, but they had always been by Jack's side when he needed them the most.

As he drew, Jack saw something in the street. He froze, watching a man with brown hair and a cane drag a familiar figure behind him. Jack felt anger rise within him, anger at the man treating Sandy like this. He would not allow this abuse to continue, not when Sandy had miraculously come back to life. He opened the window and flew outside, rushing to his friend's aid. "Sandy! Hang on just a little longer!" he yelled, catching the Sandman's attention. Sandy had noticed the magic here, feeling stronger as soon as he had come through the portal but not quite up to his old strength. There wasn't belief here, but the magic was powerful in this area.

He heard Jack's voice call out, letting him know that help was coming. Sandy wanted to warn him to be careful, but he didn't get the chance. Ice shot out, blasting the man holding Sandy and sending him flying into the street as he released the Sandman. "Come on, let's get out of here!" Jack said, grabbing Sandy and running away. He didn't want to start a fight, but he had no choice if he wanted to save his friend. Rumple wasn't going to let them get away that easily, though.

"That was a mistake, Sandman. No one gets away from the Dark One." he announced, standing up and preparing himself to fight. He had a few tricks up his sleeve, with his dark magic. However, he was unaware of Jack Frost, of the magic that was hidden within this world. He had not come prepared to fight against someone like him. Jack laughed at his threat, deciding that this Dark One needed to lighten up and have some fun. "Give me a second Sandy, I've gotta show this guy how to have some fun!" he said, flying off towards the threatening man. Sandy reached out towards Jack, afraid for his safety but unable to do much of anything to stop him.

He started with a small patch of ice, just enough to make the guy slip and fall. Once his momentum started, Jack made sure to keep it going, sending him sliding all throughout the town. Gold was busy trying to analyze the magic, trying to determine where it came from. "Wherever you are, I do hope you know the price of magic!" he called out, trying to scare this magician into stopping. "Still not having fun? Well then, let's try this instead!" Jack said, creating a snowball in his hand and frosting it over. Just one hit from a ball like this would get even the darkest person laughing in no time. It hit Rumple solidly in the shoulder and Jack waited, watching his expression transform.

Rumple knew that it was magic, that something here was altering his mood, but he had nothing here to stop it. Back at his shop, he had plenty of potions that could reverse the effects, but he had not planned on fighting in a magical war right now. He felt himself laugh, filled with joy for the first time in so many years. Yes, he had been happy with Belle, but he had never truly focused on having fun, not like this. He saw more snow fall, giving him a brilliant idea to start a snowball fight. If only Henry were here, he could play a game with his grandson.

His mind traveled to Belle, momentarily forgetting her state in the sleeping curse. Pulling out Pandora's Box, he released her and prepared to start the battle with her, only stopping when he remembered what happened to her. He stopped, dropping the snow and kneeling down by his wife. "Belle, I'm sorry. I'll put you back now, to keep you safe until I bring back the Sandman." he told her, catching Jack's attention. That was the fastest that spell wore off, telling him that this man was very dark indeed. The darker a person's heart, the harder it was to maintain his enchantment.

"So, you really are a dark one. If you are really that dark, what's with the girl you're trying to save?" he asked, not expecting an answer. She was pretty, with long brown hair and a peaceful face, but she was sleeping. Jack didn't know what was going on, but this sleep didn't seem natural in any way. "Hey, Sandy, come take a look at this." Jack said, kneeling down by the girl as well. He wanted to help her somehow, but Jack didn't have any control over sleep or dreams. Sandy really might be the only one who could help.

Sandy saw the girl, peaceful and sleeping. As he walked closer, he could sense her fear and he knew that her dream was a nightmare. Glancing at Jack, he managed to use his dream sand for the first time in years, this time to speak. He showed Jack an image of Pitch, trying to determine what happened. "He's here. Don't know where, but he's definitely here." Jack told Sandy, seeing the question in the Guardian's eyes. Sandy nodded, coming closer still even though Rumple was there as well. Perhaps Sandy would help him, if all he wanted was to save this girl. After all, saving people was part of his job as a Guardian.

"Why did you come back?" Rumple asked, not understanding the strange golden man. Sandy ignored him, inspecting the girl and deciding that all he could do for now was improve her dream. He sprinkled some of his sand over her, watching the golden sand work it's magic and transform her fear into joy, showing her happy dreams instead of nightmares. Turning towards Jack, Sandy began thinking of how to tell him what was going on. "You want to help her, don't you?" Jack asked, shaking his head. Sandy nodded, turning back towards the girl.

"Well, what's wrong with her?" Jack asked, watching Sandy shrug in response. So even Sandy didn't know what caused this sleep. Rumple noticed the Sandman's gestures, but he couldn't determine what they meant. "Can you not speak?" he asked, staring at the short, gold man in front of him. Sandy huffed, glaring at him and waiting for an apology. He wasn't going to even try and respond until he heard one from this man who tried to kidnap him.

"Giving him the silent treatment, huh Sandy?" Jack teased, laughing at his own poor joke. Sandy turned his glare towards the winter spirit, who backed away and held his hands up in surrender. "Sorry! I didn't mean anything by it, honest!" Jack insisted, not wanting to get on his bad side. Jack had seen the strength of the dream sand and he did not want to get on Sandy's bad side. "There's someone else here. They are concealing themselves, with some kind of magic." Rumple realized, staring at the space that Sandy was looking at. Apparently this Sandman could see through the illusion somehow, even if Rumple couldn't.

"Jack, there you are!" Emma called out, seeing him kneeling down next to Belle and Rumple. "What are you doing here, Miss Swan?" Rumple asked, confused at who this Jack was. Jack was realizing the issue though, that his invisibility would soon be vanishing with this girl here. "Alright, I believe that is my cue to leave. Sandy, if you need my help just let me know." he said, grinning at his friend. He seemed to be okay now, but Jack felt Sandy grab his arm, holding him back. "What is it?" he asked, watching Sandy show him an image of Pitch again.

"What do you think I can do about it? Belief is gone in the world and he is stronger than ever!" Jack asked, getting frustrated. Emma was watching with confusion, seeing only a one-sided conversation. "Uh, Jack? Who are you talking to?" she asked, walking forward and feeling somewhat defensive around Rumple. He had vanished in New York, so why was he here now? The Dark One was trying to figure out a mystery as well, one that was linked to this stranger that Emma was talking to. The savior was able to see through the illusion, something even he could not do.

"Just what kind of spell are you using to remain hidden?" he asked, frowning into the air that Sandy kept glancing towards. Emma heard his question, frowning at him and realizing that Rumplestiltskin actually didn't know about the magic in this world. "Wait, there is something about magic that you don't know?" she asked, crossing her arms and smirking at the Dark One. "Magic is a complicated subject, filled with many spells and variations on them. No one can know everything about magic, Miss Swan, not even me." Rumple told her, still focused on his current puzzle.

Sandy was shaking his head at Jack, upset that even now he was unable to believe in himself and fight back against Pitch. "I'm sorry, Sandy. You know that I can't do it. You know what he did last time." Jack whispered, clenching his staff tightly. Sandy stepped forward, touching his friend's hand and pointing to the girl behind him. She was another believer, after all. There was still hope for him. "Yes, she believes, but that only makes her a target, just like he was." Jack insisted, still ignoring Emma and Rumple for now.

Emma was just shaking her head, realizing that Jack wasn't going to explain what was going on. "Care to tell me who is here, Miss Swan?" Rumple asked, hoping to get some answers. He would not let anyone ruin his plan, not when he was so close to waking Belle. He had seen the Sandman do something to her, something that had calmed her even further than Rumple had seen before. While she wasn't awake, she did appear to be more comfortably than before. "Jack Frost. Henry's busy figuring out the rest of his story so we know if he is dangerous or not." Emma told Rumple, finally getting the winter spirit's attention.

"No! You don't need to know my story, no one does." he insisted, glaring at Emma. "Look, kid, we don't know who you are and you've clearly shown that you have powerful magic. We can't just let you stay here without knowing for certain that you can be trusted." Emma replied, glaring at Jack. Now with an explanation and belief, Rumple was able to see this Jack Frost, arguing with Emma. "Well, my mystery attacker finally shows himself." he commented, grinning and getting ready to get his revenge on the boy.

Sandy stepped between them, crossing his arms and glaring at the Dark One. He was not going to let this battle happen, not when they had bigger issues to deal with. "Uh oh, looks like you made him mad." Jack said, backing up from Sandy and preparing himself to watch the show. Sandy glanced at Jack and gave him a wink before creating ropes of sand, which wrapped around Rumple as he prepared himself to throw the man around to keep him away from Jack. Sandy waited just for a moment, giving the Dark One a chance to stand down before being tossed around by his dream sand.

Rumple struggled, trying to free himself or even reach his dagger to use his magic to free himself. "What will it take to get you to release me?" he asked, hoping that he could make a deal with the Sandman. Jack laughed, shaking his head. "He wants you to back off and be nice! Probably an apology as well, dark man." Jack commented, remembering just how dark this man's heart was. Sandy nodded, straining to hold his magic in his somewhat weakened state. "Easy enough, I suppose. I am sorry, now will you please release me?" he asked. Sandy released him, letting the sand dissipate into the air.

Emma was watching them, once again shocked at the sudden appearance of magic from nowhere. "Emma, I'd like to introduce you to Sandy. Sandy, this is Emma." Jack said, grinning at her confusion. "Sandy? As in the Sandman? Just how many of you are there?" Emma asked, this time expecting the small man to appear in front of her eyes. Jack's eyes grew distant, thinking about how he had been the only one left. Just how had Sandy gotten back? Sandy, however, was already working on answering her question. He showed her an image of an egg, followed by a bunny to represent the Easter Bunny. "I wouldn't start with him, Sandy. He's not really that impressive." Jack commented, but his heart wasn't in the joke. He missed all of them, and he still wanted to know where they were.

Sandy shook his head at Jack, annoyed at the joke but also knowing Bunny was okay. He tried again, showing Jack the image again, followed by his attempt at mimicking a portal. It looked like a golden circle above his head, not very clear and not understandable to Jack or any of the others nearby. "Sorry, not quite getting that one." Jack commented, kneeling down in front of Sandy and frowning as he tried to figure out the message. It was related to Bunny, but he wasn't quite certain how. He watched Sandy give more symbols, this time showing all of the Guardians, not just Bunny. Then, he made the circle image again, as if it was very important for them to understand.

"A circle? What is that supposed to mean?" Jack asked, shaking his head. "Not a circle, a portal." Gold said, understanding simply because he knew what had been required to retrieve the Sandman from wherever he had been hidden. "They are all trapped in another realm." Gold continued, still not feeling concerned. It wasn't his problem and he had other things to focus on. "They…they're all alive?" Jack asked, his eyes wide with shock. Sandy nodded in response, making Jack's shock turn into joy. With the Guardians alive, they stood a chance against Pitch. They could take back this world and bring back the belief that Pitch tried so hard to destroy.

 **Please review and tell me what you think!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Rise of the Guardians or Once Upon a Time.

 **Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Here is an early update for you all, to celebrate the holiday. I hope you enjoy!**

(Many years ago, in Burgess)

The battle was on, the Guardians against Pitch and it was taking a toll on the city. Jack could see the fear in all the children, the way they refused to play and seemed to be upset and angry all the time. The Guardians were losing, and Jack knew that he would not gain any more believers with them like this. "Jack, can't you do anything to stop this?" Jaimie asked him, watching his friends leave his yard after yelling at him about his beliefs. None of them believed anymore, something that worried Jack. He hadn't seen this much loss of belief since the Dark Ages, when Pitch reigned supreme over the world.

Jack glanced at Jaimie, his one believer and his closest friend in the world. He had spent most of his time with the kid since he gained his belief, playing games and sometimes just talking when there was no one else around. "I don't know, Jaimie. I'm not a Guardian." he said, repeating what he had told the others when he was offered the position. "I think you'd be a great Guardian! You're awesome at playing games and having fun with us. I'm certain you could get plenty of belief and that you could keep all of us safe, no matter what the danger is." Jaime insisted, smiling at Jack Frost.

Jack smiled back at the kid, happy to see that Jaimie wasn't being affected by Pitch, not yet at least. Jaimie had so much belief and hope that Jack couldn't bring himself to tell the kid the truth, that he had refused to take that job. Even if he wasn't going to be a Guardian, that didn't mean he couldn't help. Jaimie was asking him to do so, and Jack refused to disappoint the kid that thought so highly of him. "You really want me to help battle Pitch?" he asked, swinging his staff over his shoulder. Jaimie nodded, glancing at the ground. "I don't want you to get hurt, but I can't stand seeing them like this. Promise me, you'll at least try." Jaimie said, looking up at the very end of his statement.

Jack knelt down in front of the kid, reaching out and touching Jaimie's shoulder. "I'll do more than try. I'm going to win this war, and then we'll all have some fun, just like we used to." he promised, smiling at Jaimie. He felt Jaimie wrap his arm around his waist, burying his head into his hoodie. "Thank you, Jack. Make sure you come back, too. I don't want to lose you and my normal friends." he said, pulling back and grinning at Jack. "What, are you saying I'm not normal? Can't your friends make snowballs too?" Jack asked, making Jaimie laugh. Jack joined in, wanting to end on a bright note. He knew that his future would not be this happy, not after his promise. He would be fighting for quite some time, against the greatest enemy of the Guardians, Pitch Black.

(Today, in Storybrooke)

Sandy and Jack had tried to leave, to talk with Emma about their plan for Pitch, but Gold was not going to let them go quite so easily. "Wait, I can't just let you leave. I went through all this work to free you from that realm. Now, you owe me." he insisted, glaring at the Sandman. "Hey, he doesn't owe you anything! He didn't ask you to-" Jack was saying, but Sandy shoved Jack gently to get him to stop. He gestured towards Gold, asking him to continue explaining what he wanted.

"Belle is under a sleeping curse. I am in need of someone to wake her and I've heard that you have enough magic to bring her back." Rumple explained, staring down at his sleeping wife. Sandy frowned, realizing what was going on with the girl. He had heard of this before, even if it was incredibly rare and almost impossible to occur within this world. His sand had counteracted the darkest part of the curse, the part that forces the victim to think of all their regrets in life, but it was not enough to wake her. "I don't know if you've heard, but Sandy specializes in dreams, not sleep. This isn't exactly his area of expertise." Jack commented, shaking his head at the Dark One.

"Please, I don't have any other options." Gold begged, feeling desperate for anything that might save Belle. "Gold, I don't think there's anything they can do." Emma said softly, sympathizing with the man's pain. She had lost Hook not that long ago, going on an epic journey to bring him back. Losing Belle would be very hard on Rumple, no matter what he claimed. Sandy shook his head, disagreeing with both of them. It was a lesser known ability of his, one that even the Guardians hadn't heard of. Sandy's dream sand had the power to alter, if not destroy, curses. They had not been common in this world, so he had never had a use for this ability.

Sandy held his hand out, filled with his golden sand as he began to change its magic, in order to allow it to break the curse. As he did so, fatigue washed over him and he lost the magic. He was too weak to perform a spell like this, unable to help right now. "What happened?" Gold asked, confused at the Sandman's inability to finish his work. Sandy glanced at Jack, needing help explaining where their magic came from. "You said the magic words before, magic always comes with a price. Our magic is no different, Dark One." Jack said, shaking his head at the man in front of him.

"I see. What do you require of me for your services? I am willing to alter our deal, if that is what you desire." Rumple told them, not understanding the true issue. "There isn't an issue with your deal, Pitch is the issue. Without belief, Sandy isn't strong enough to do what you're asking him for." Jack said, shaking his head. "This is exactly why I didn't want to be a Guardian. Linking your power to belief just to gain a bit more strength is not worth it." Jack said with a sigh, glancing at Sandy who simply shrugged.

Gold clenched his hand into a fist, trying to contain his brief moment of anger. He had come so close to waking her, to bringing back his wife, only for it to fail at the last moment. More issues and more drama was all he had left to deal with if he wanted to get his future child and her back. "This Pitch is going to pay for keeping me away from my wife." he threatened, catching Emma's attention. "Whoa, there. You know that's not how we operate over here." she told him, knowing he would use any method necessary to destroy this enemy. "Since when have I cared, Miss Swan? Are any of you heroes strong enough to stop me?" Gold asked, smiling at her. "You don't have what it takes, dearie, so I suggest you back off and let me take care of this little dilemma of ours." he continued.

Jack was watching the argument, trying to figure out what the problem was. Shouldn't they be happy about having more help finding Pitch? "Emma, I don't exactly see what the problem is here." Jack commented, frowning at the two of them. "The problem is that Gold is known for going beyond what is necessary to defeat someone. He is called the Dark One for a reason, kid." she said, shaking her head and turning towards Jack. He glanced over at Gold, realizing for the first time that it was a title, not just a nickname for the guy. His heart truly was dark, so dark that he could only entertain this man for seconds instead of hours like most kids.

"Such a shame. If you ever want to have some fun, let me know. I'll help you get rid of that dark heart of yours and then, the real fun can start." Jack said with a grin, getting ready to take off. It was time he started the search for Pitch, now that Sandy was here and he knew the Guardians were out there. Together, they would be able to stop him once and for all. "This Pitch Black, tell me what he is like before you leave." Gold requested, realizing that the person who could actually talk was trying to leave.

Jack frowned, trying to think of how to describe the enemy of the Guardians. "To most people, he's known as the boogeyman. His magic specializes in darkness and he is able to alter Sandy's dream sand to make an army of nightmares." Jack began, focusing on his abilities. When Gold still seemed to be looking for more, Jack tried again, focusing on personality this time. "Pitch hates belief, of any kind. Even though it makes himself invisible to the world, his goal is to destroy the belief of everyone, which he has very nearly succeeded with." Jack said, frowning because he could not fathom Pitch's reasons for wanting something like that.

Gold nodded, smiling slightly. He was going to enjoy bringing this man down, after causing Belle to wait for an end to her curse. No one crossed him, directly or indirectly, and this Pitch Black would soon learn that. Regardless of how dark this man's magic was, Gold knew that his own magic was far darker and far more powerful. He would bring this man down and then, he would bring back enough belief to wake Belle.

(Many years ago, in Burgess)

Jack found them, fairly easily, within the town. The battle had already begun, with Pitch sending waves of darkness towards the Guardians and them retaliating, mainly with Bunny's boomerangs and North's sword. Sandy was noticeably missing from the group, making Jack frown. That wasn't the issue, not right now though. "Is that Jack Frost? What are you doing here?" Pitch asked, staring at the boy with his burning, gold eyes. Jack held his staff defensively, ready to attack at a moments notice.

"I'm here to stop you!" Jack yelled back, sending an ice blast towards the King of Nightmares. Pitch laughed, dodging the blast with ease as he stared at the new player in this battle. "Jack Frost, the boy with so much fear, is going to stop me?" he taunted, grinning at the boy and the Guardians. "Jack, get out of here. You aren't a Guardian and this isn't your fight, mate." Bunny said, still upset with the spirit for running off when they came to him for help.

Jack snorted, shaking his head at Bunny and focusing on Pitch. "I'm not afraid of you." Jack responded, blasting him again. This time, Pitch countered with his shadows, sending a wave of black towards the ice. It froze when they collided, creating a wall of frozen darkness between them. Pitch stepped out from behind the wall, still smiling at Jack. "Maybe not, but you are afraid of other things. This is the one thing I always know, my greatest gift that allows me to see into the hearts of men and spirits alike. You are all afraid, and I shall make those fears come true." Pitch promised, laughing once more.

"Ha! Like you can do anything of the sort. No one's been afraid of you since the Dark Ages!" North called out, amused at his threats. Jack was on their side now, strengthening the group and helping them defeat Pitch. Even if Tooth and Sandy had fallen already, the three of them would never give up, not until the very end. "Ah yes, the Dark Ages when everyone believed in me. Those were good times, a time when you were not believed in, when people were afraid of magic and what it could do. That fear needs to return, so no one will be brave enough to believe. No one will want to see any little fairies, or elves, or even magical easter eggs that bring them hope every year. This is the world I imagine, a world filled with far more fear than belief." he said, sounding distant and pleased with the world he was describing.

Jack glared at him, feeling horror at the very idea of such a world. Pitch wanted to get rid of all belief, something that sounded insane to him. "Aren't you forgetting something? If belief vanishes in this world, you won't be seen by anyone!" Jack yelled, thinking he had Pitch now. The dark man only laughed, as if the thought amused him. "That's exactly my point! If no one sees, then no one can gain belief ever again. Isn't that right Jack?" he taunted, playing on Jack's fear of staying invisible to the world around him. "Jack, not yet." North said, holding the winter spirit back. Pitch was only playing with them right now. If Jack fell for the bait, it would only put him in danger.

Jack gritted his teeth, glaring at Pitch and wishing North wouldn't hold him back like this. He needed to go after Pitch, for the way he spoke to Jack. It was unacceptable, hearing taunts about how he would never gain belief because he couldn't be seen. "You're not any better, North. You are just as afraid, afraid of what will happen to the rest of the Guardians if you don't succeed. You've already lost the Sandman and the Tooth Fairy. Are you really willing to lose more?" Pitch asked walking closer to the group and still smiling at them.

North's gaze hardened, resisting the urge to fight Pitch for his threats. "Wait, Sandy and Tooth are gone?" Jack asked, not realizing what had happened. North's focus was still on Pitch, but he could tell that it was true from the way Bunny looked away from them, as if he was ashamed of himself. "Oh, didn't they tell you? They abandoned Toothiana at her Tooth Palace, giving me the perfect chance to capture her and all the other fairies. When children still kept believing, I had to take more extreme measures and destroy the Sandman. I will stop at nothing to create this world without belief. It is what this world needs, more than anything else." Pitch announced, his eyes growing distant for a moment.

"Children need belief! It gives them hope, helps them stay happy. Why would anyone want to destroy that?" Bunny asked, finally cracking at Pitch's words. The Nightmare King only laughed, shaking his head at the sad group that would never understand. "I have my reasons. Now, I suggest you stay out of my way, unless you want to feel the pain of watching all your fears come true." Pitch told them, stepping back towards the nightmare waiting behind the wall of dark ice. Jack wasn't going to let him get away, not when he had a promise to keep. He froze the ground, this time making Pitch slip and fall before he sent his ice blast towards the man. The nightmare ran in front of its master, taking the blow and being destroyed as it protected Pitch Black.

"Jack Frost is the first to attack! Very well, your fears will take place first. I shall start with the small amount of hope you have, destroying that one little believer of yours." Pitch told him, filling Jack's heart with fear. Pitch couldn't go after Jaimie, not now. He was a good kid, bright and happy. Jack would not let Pitch destroy that, not without a fight. "Good luck trying! Jaimie will never give in to you." Jack insisted, confident in Jaimie's belief. "Haven't you heard, Jack? There is more than one way to destroy a believer." Pitch yelled, vanishing into the shadows of the night. Jack tried to follow, but there wasn't even a trail left behind. He had to stop Pitch, before it was too late.

 **Please review and tell me what you think!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer:** I do not own ROTG or Once Upon a Time

(Today, in Storybrooke)

Pitch Black had learned to be very patient over the years. He knew that irrational actions would not lead to any decent results, so Pitch always thought ahead, making intricate plans before he even considered making a move in his little game. In this town, it was no different. The game had changed, with the introduction of this powerful magic and people who were so willing to believe, even in something they could not see. It was irritating to Pitch, but he was dealing with it.

"Jack Frost, I thought you had given up. Why are you fighting back, why now?" Pitch asked himself in the darkness, confused as to the winter spirit's motivation. He had been so passive ever since the Guardians disappeared, letting Pitch do as he pleased in the world. Pitch thought that the boy had started to understand, but it seemed that he was wrong. Something had changed, something that brought back the fighting spirit in the broken boy Pitch had created. "Is it the believer, the one that inspired belief in others?" he wondered, thinking of the boy. Pitch did have to admit, he looked a lot like Jack's first believer. That alone should be enough to startle the boy, but not quite enough to inspire fighting once more.

Pitch glanced up at the moon, more in annoyance than anything else. "Are you ready to take back your curse yet, old friend?" he asked, knowing he would stay silent. The one that cursed him, the moon itself, hadn't spoken to him since the day he gained his power. Pitch hoped that he would end the curse before belief was destroyed, but it wasn't enough, not yet. At the very least, Pitch would protect others from the same fate he faced, preventing them from wishing for magic like he had once done.

Jack Frost, however, was going to be a problem, especially here. When Pitch arrived, he knew that this was where the boy must have been. All of the people here and the magic, it only made sense. He had told Jack that the boy was dead, but Pitch had merely sent him to another world. There, the boy's belief would never reach this world and would have no affect on the Guardians. It was a solution that avoided sending Pitch down the one road he had yet to cross, the dark path of murder. His ability to create portals to other worlds was his greatest secret, the ultimate weapon he used against any enemy. Once it was used, he never saw them again and they never saw him.

Pitch stared down at the boy in the forest, the one that Pitch had retrieved from the hospital's basement. "Jack's little believer. I wonder how well that belief survived, after all these years. Just how are you still a child, though?" he wondered, kneeling down next to Jaimie. He was a sleep, thanks to what he had begun to think of as nightmare sand. His version of the Sandman's power, only inspiring nightmares instead of peaceful dreams.

Jaimie rolled over, murmuring in his sleep. His troubled face only pleased Pitch, telling him that the boy was giving in to his fear. Pitch could not let Jack find him, not when he was so close to winning. If Jack found Jaimie, Pitch knew that all would be lost. He remembered how hard Jack had fought when he lost the boy. He had only survived by getting his hands on Jack's staff, the source of his power. If he hadn't gotten lucky, the winter spirit would have destroyed him years ago, when he went after the young boy with so much belief. "Jack will not come here, not if I can stop it. He will never find this boy again." Pitch promised, picking him up and moving deeper into the forest.

Pitch found a cabin, hidden deep within the woods that would fit his needs. The boy would stay hidden and Pitch could rest as he finished his plans for this town. "How did he get back here?" Pitch wondered, staring at the boy. It was concerning, making him wonder who else could create portals like he could. He would have to plan for them to be in the town, plan on another way of eliminating this portal jumper. Jaimie stirred again, this time waking up and seeing Pitch standing in the room with him. He gasped and backed away, trying to be silent as he attempted to escape.

Pitch saw the boy's actions, alerted by his sudden increase in fear. "I wouldn't do that, if I were you, Jaimie. It's been a long time, hasn't it?" Pitch asked, smiling at the boy who was crouched by the door. Jaimie let his hand drop, pulling away from the handle that would lead to his freedom. "What do you want with me? Haven't you already done enough?" Jaimie asked, feeling scared but wanting to be brave. He wasn't going to let Pitch take him back there. The Enchanted Forest had been filled with dangerous things, including an evil queen that had nearly killed him before she cast her curse.

"Nothing at all, I simply want to keep Jack Frost out of my way." Pitch said, feeling no need to conceal anything from the child. "As for how much I've done, my work is no where near being complete. This little town here, this Storybrooke, still insists on believing. I will not rest until all of that belief has been snuffed out of the world." Pitch continued, watching Jaimie grow more determined. That was strange. For a boy with so much fear, he seemed to be far too willing to fight back, especially after he mentioned Jack. "You won't get away with this. I'm not going to let you hurt Jack!" he insisted, running towards the door and rushing outside. Jaimie froze when he saw what was out there, dozens and dozens of black horses, made of some kind of sand.

"Do you like my nightmares, Jaimie? They are brilliant little creations, and just like me, they can smell your fear. As long as you are afraid, you will never be able to escape from me." Pitch told him, grabbing the boy by his shoulders and standing behind him. He was keeping the nightmares at bay for now, but if Jaimie tried to run again he would not hold back. Pitch would let his nightmares run free, chasing after the boy that insisted on going back to the winter spirit.

Jaimie saw them, realizing the truth of Pitch's words. They would not let him pass, no matter what he did. He was too scared, not strong like Jack had been. He remembered Jack's promise, the only thing that gave him hope at this point. Jack would beat Pitch, just like he said. Once Pitch was gone, Jaimie would be free and he would find his friend. He had been trapped here long enough, it was time to find a way to be free.

(Many years ago, in Burgess)

Pitch woke up, feeling strange and cold. He had fallen asleep with Lucy by his side, but now she was no where to be seen. The moon was still hanging high in the sky, bright and shining down on him. _You are Pitch Black._ The voice said, one last statement before vanishing completely. He frowned, rubbing his eyes and sitting up. He wasn't tired anymore, but he knew he should be. "Lucy? Where are you?" he asked, glancing around the field.

Paul decided to explore, not realizing what had happened to him. He needed to find Lucy and figure out what was going on. Maybe he should tell her about the voice, since it was getting worse. It was trying to change his name, which he found strange. It didn't take him long to find her. She was inside, crying and talking to her parents. What was even stranger were the waves of fear that Paul could feel, coming from her. It didn't seem to mix with his own emotions, staying separate but known to him. He could even sense what she was afraid of. Lucy was afraid of never finding him again.

"Lucy, it's okay, I'm right here." he told her, walking over to her. She didn't respond, and neither did her parents. "I don't know what happened! He was right there in the field with me. I fell asleep for just a few minutes and when I woke up, he was gone!" she cried, looking to her parents for help. "Sweetie, I know you cared about him but maybe he had something to take care of. That boy was always strange, and you know it." her mother said, trying to comfort her.

"Lucy, come on. Stop playing games and just look at me!" Paul begged, walking towards her and trying to grab her should to turn her around. He gasped as an even colder sensation ran through his arm, watching as it fell through her skin as if he was nothing but air. "No…I'm here. I'm real." he whispered, not believing what he saw. Lucy continued crying, looking lost without Paul here with her. He had always been so optimistic, believing that magic could solve anything. Now, as if by magic, he had vanished without a trace. "Go ahead and get some sleep. We'll look for him in the morning." her father suggested. Lucy nodded, walking off towards her bed and not even noticing as she walked straight through Paul.

Paul was remembering the words, however, the words that had been spoken to him. _Magic comes with a price. Belief is that price._ He remembered, and then he understood. No one believed, so he did not exist. Without belief, no one would see him and no one would hear him. It would be as if he never existed, hiding in the shadows. Sure, Lucy believed in Paul Black, but she had never even heard of his new name, the name given to him by this magic. "I am Pitch Black. Please, Lucy, believe in my just like you believe in magic." he begged, reaching out towards her.

He let his hand fall, knowing that it would never make contact. How could he make her believe, when she could not see or hear him? Nothing would alert her to his presence and he would be alone like this forever. He walked outside, feeling his pain and loss turn into anger, anger towards the moon that had granted his wish. "Is this what you wanted? To take away everything that mattered to me?" he asked the sky, yelling because no one could hear him anymore. As his anger reached its peak, he felt his power build within and blast out, destroying the area with his darkness. The field was now dying, plants torn from their roots and spread across the field. Even the dirt itself had been blasted back by the force, making a mess of the barn and the grass for the animals.

"This is my power? To know their fears and create darkness? This is not the magic I imagined, but it is definitely the magic I need. I will show you what happens when you take things away from me! No one will make a wish to you, ever again. I will destroy belief, protecting everyone from learning the truth of magic like I have." Pitch claimed, standing tall and proud in the field under the night sky. He would watch over and protect Lucy, but everyone else was open game. They would feel this fear, and he would keep this world safe from the curse of the moon.

 **Please review and tell me what you think!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Rise of the Guardians or Once Upon a Time

 **Thank you to metz for the review! This is one of my longest chapters so far, though I don't think I'll be able to keep all of them this long. I hope you enjoy!**

(Today, in Storybrooke)

It had taken a lot of time and focus, but Henry had finally finished his work. The story of Jack Frost was finished, but even he found it hard to put a positive spin on it. The winter spirit had a hard life before coming here and Henry knew it would be a challenge to find happiness for him again. As he stared down at the final page of the story, he heard the door open and announce the return of his mother and Jack. As Henry turned around, he was surprised to see that only Emma had returned, not Jack.

"Hey, have you had any luck figuring out that guy's story?" Emma asked, glancing at her son. She was worried about what would happen to this town, especially with all of these new magical beings here. It was too much to take in, for her at least. Jack had flown off, saying he was going to try and help Sandy get some belief in the world. Even with his help, Emma doubted much would change. This world was intent on staying the same, without belief in magic or people like them. "Yeah, but it is not looking too good." Henry commented, thinking about the enemy they were up against. Fighting against magic was hard enough, but this was going to be more like fighting against yourself. Fear made him strong, but it was so hard to control your own fear.

"Jack isn't a hero?" Emma asked, growing worried over the winter spirit. If he was their enemy, they would have a lot of work ahead of themselves. He had just gained a new ally, the Sandman, in town. "Well, he sorta is. More like he tried to be one and then gave up." Henry told Emma, thinking about his part in the story. It explained so much about Jack's attitude, why he was desperate to keep all of them out of this mess. He just wanted to protect the people here, even if it meant letting evil win. Jack didn't understand that in this town, good always triumphed over evil and that you just needed to have hope for the future to win.

"Gave up? How can you just give up on helping people?" Emma asked, frustrated with the kid. He seemed far too playful, unable to take anything seriously. If he let people get hurt as a result, that was just as bad as being a villain himself. "That's where the bad part comes in. Pitch…killed his only believer. At least, that's what it looks like to me." Henry said, hesitantly. Jack hadn't wanted them to know this, but Henry didn't have a choice. They needed to know his story, if they wanted to try and find his happy ending. Even without Jaimie, Jack still had a chance to recover and find happiness, they just had to know where to look.

Emma felt sympathetic, knowing how hard it was to lose someone you cared about. "Then it looks like we need to focus on stopping this Pitch." Emma said, patting Henry's back and sitting at the table with him. It was late, but together they would come up with something. They had his story and they knew who they were dealing with. All it would take is a bit of focus and magic to take care of Pitch Black and save their town. "It's not going to be easy. This guy is strong, stronger than anything we've faced before." Henry stated, thinking about the army this man could create with ease. Even if they fought, sheer numbers would overtake them if Pitch was as strong as he looked.

"Then what did Jack do to fight back against him?" Emma asked, pulling Henry's book over to her. She saw the page that was open currently, an image of a tall man with yellow eyes and grey skin staring back at her. She could see the boy in his grip, looking a lot like Henry with his brown hair and eyes. This one looked a bit younger than Henry, with freckles on his cheeks and fear in his eyes. This must be the believer that Henry had mentioned, though Emma did not know why it was so important to Jack. "Well, as I said he kind of gave up. This is his last fight with Pitch, or at least that I've managed to figure out for now. He had help, from these other beings known as Guardians." Henry explained.

Emma nodded, thinking back to Sandy from before. The man had clearly had magic, just like Jack, and both of them had mentioned others like them. While she didn't quite understand the guy's way of explaining who they were, she did know they were out there. "One of them is already here, in Storybrooke." Emma commented, watching Henry glance at her in surprise. "Really? Which one?" he asked, looking curious. "Jack called him Sandy, I think. Gold has him though, so I don't think he's going to be able to help us." she replied, wishing that the Dark One could for once help someone other than himself.

Henry smiled though, glancing down at the book in front of him. "That's how we win, then. We have to get them all together, then we can take Pitch down." Henry told Emma with a smile, watching her close the book and nod. It was better than nothing at least, but for now they had to keep an eye on Pitch. Maybe it was time for someone track him down, while the others focused on getting to this other world where the Guardians were trapped. After Pitch was gone, then she could do her job as the savior and help Jack find his happy ending. It was the least she could do, to make up for treating him like a villain.

Meanwhile, Jack Frost was growing annoyed with this town. They all believed, but none of them understood the danger that was coming. He had been accused of being a villain, by the supposed savior of this town. The Dark One had brought his wife home, taking Sandy with him and preventing him from gaining belief in the easiest way possible. For Sandy, simply spreading good dreams would be enough to gain belief. With Rumple forcing him to stay here, he couldn't spread his golden sand towards children and they had to figure something else out to gain belief. The lack of trust was annoying and Jack was getting sick of it. Maybe he shouldn't protect this town, not with how people here were acting.

He immediately shook his head, knowing that wasn't right. Jaimie had asked him to fight back, begged him to protect children and bring back his friends. Thinking back to the boy who had always been so happy, so willing to believe, Jack stopped his flight and landed in the forest. He missed Jaimie so much and Jack knew he couldn't let the kid down, not now. The boy had wanted Jack to stop Pitch and now, Jack was going to do just that. Glancing around the forest, Jack decided to use this time to find Pitch, instead of spread belief for Sandy. After all, Jack couldn't even get people to believe in himself, let alone the other Guardians.

He walked through the forest, thinking that this was the perfect place for Pitch to hide. He always stayed in the shadows, in dark places that would bring fear to others. This forest would do just that, with noises from animals and trees that looked ominous in the darkness of the night. Jack held his staff tightly, prepared to fight at any moment. As if summoned by his search, Pitch appeared by his side, with a grin on his face as he stared at Jack with his burning yellow eyes.

"Welcome, Jack Frost, to my new domain. I think I rather like it here, it is much roomier than my last lair." he announced grandly, spreading his arms wide in the air to gesture to the forest around him. Pitch needed to stop Jack here, to stop him from finding the cabin where Jaimie was. If Jack found that boy, his plan would be ruined by the renewal of Jack's will to fight. Even if he was acting up now, Jack was still not at his full strength without hope and belief in himself. "I thought I might find you here, Pitch." Jack commented, standing tense with his staff pointed at the Nightmare King.

Pitch laughed, seeing Jack's attempt at scaring him off. "You think I'm afraid of that? Of the twig you call a staff?" he taunted, disappearing into the shadows before reappearing on the other side of Jack. "We both know that there is nothing you can do to stop me, Frost, so stop trying." he added, losing some of his amusement. He was not going to play games with the winter spirit, not when he had work to do. "You don't know anything about me. I'm going to keep fighting you, until the very end Pitch." Jack announced, glaring into the darkness as Pitch vanished again. This guy was getting annoying, with his disappearing trick and ability to become one with the darkness.

"Really? You do remember last time, Jack? Little Jaimie, such a nice boy really, getting involved in matters that should have been left alone. If only he hadn't believed, then maybe he would still be here." Pitch taunted, knowing that the boy was Jack's weakness right now. Jack grew angry at the mention of his old believer, blasting ice randomly into the darkness to try and hit Pitch. "Shut up!" he yelled, wanting Pitch to stop talking about Jaimie.

"Oh? Did I touch a nerve? Well, let me tell you something, Jack Frost. I will not stop with Jaimie, not for you. No one will ever believe in you, not while I'm around. They will all be destroyed, just like him." Pitch threatened, appearing directly in front of the winter spirit this time. Jack saw him, taking the opportunity to try his ice blast one more time. With a laugh, Pitch disappeared into the shadows and let it pass through him and into a tree in the distance. "I will not let that happen! You will fall, Pitch, I will make sure of it." Jack called out, waiting for him to appear once more. "Without the Guardians you are nothing more than a nuisance to me, Frost. You will fall back into despair and nothing will change." Pitch said with a glare, growing angry at his refusal to give in. Something was making his will stronger, which Pitch knew he had to stop.

Pitch was about to play on his fear some more when he sensed his nightmares charging towards him. Something was going on at the cabin, with Jaimie. Perhaps the boy had foolishly tried to escape, but Pitch didn't have time to deal with it, not now. He was so close to breaking Frost once more, he couldn't stop now. Jack noticed the change as well, seeing the nightmares appear in front of him charging after something in the woods. "No…you're just distracting me. That's why you're here, why you showed yourself." Jack whispered, realizing his mistake. It was just like that Easter so long ago, when he spent his time with Pitch instead of helping protect Bunny's holiday.

"This isn't over, Frost. I will be back and you will either join me or be destroyed." Pitch promised, backing away and rushing towards the cabin. Jack had seen through him and was nearly finding the boy. Pitch had to make sure he was still in place, not fleeing from his prison. He had been too focused on Jack, unable to defend that cabin for just a moment. He was surprised that Jaimie had figured it out and managed to run. When he saw the house was empty, Pitch knew that he had lost. The boy was gone and it would only be a matter of minutes before Frost found him. Running deeper into the forest, Pitch decided that it would be best to lie low for a while. After all, the winter spirit would be quite upset with him for a while after he discovered Pitch's little trick.

(Many years ago, in Burgess)

Jaimie had been sitting in his room, waiting to see Jack Frost and hear about the battle with Pitch. He knew that Jack could do it, that he could win. After all, no one was stronger than the winter spirit. The guy was always smiling, never afraid of anything and always willing to have some fun with Jaimie. As he stared out his window, Jaimie was wondering if Jack would show tonight. He might be too busy helping the Guardians, after all. His doubts were erased, however, when he saw the boy tap on his window with his staff. Grinning, Jaimie walked over and let Jack inside, eager to hear about how things went. It was always amazing to see that the winter spirit could fly, especially when he could see how far down the ground was. His apartment was on the fourth floor of this building, making it quite a ways up for Jack to fly.

"How did it go? You guys got rid of Pitch, right?" Jaimie asked, grinning at Jack. He saw the serious look on his face, though, the look that made Jaimie worried. "I'm sorry, Jaimie, I didn't beat him this time. I'm not giving up, though, I still have a promise to keep." Jack said, giving Jaimie his best attempt at a smile. He was worried, especially after what Pitch had promised to do. Jaimie could see right through his fake smile, knowing that something was bothering his friend. "What happened?" he asked softly, seeing the worry in Jack's eyes.

"Nothing much, just a bunch of threats before he vanished in the shadows. Do you have any idea how annoying that is?" Jack said, shaking his head. He was doing his best to keep his tone light and upbeat for the kid, not wanting Jaimie to be scared. Unfortunately, that was when things went wrong for both of them. Jack had been focused on Jaimie, not outside where Pitch was hiding with his nightmares, watching the boys talk.

Jaimie sighed, knowing that Jack would not tell him much more. "Well, did you want to go outside? There's plenty of snow on the ground for a snowball fight!" Jaimie suggested, grinning at his friend. Jack smiled right back, feeling excited about the idea. It was the perfect way to cheer up after his failure to destroy Pitch earlier. He held his hand out to Jaimie, ready to jump out the window and fly to the ground with his believer when he saw the dark shadow outside. His smile vanished and he changed his stance, holding his staff with both hands and keeping it pointed at the window. "Jaimie, stay back. We're going to have to play a little later." Jack told him, feeling tense as he waited for Pitch to show himself.

Jaimie nodded, backing away behind Jack. He could see the shadows, taking the form of horses outside of the windows. These were the nightmares that Jack had told them about, taking form thanks to Pitch's magic. Jaimie watched them scratch at the window, clawing at the glass and trying to get inside. It didn't take them long to succeed, eventually gaining enough force to smash through the glass. As soon as they did so, Jack blasted them back with his magic, sending ice towards the sand creatures.

Jaimie watched helplessly, knowing that he couldn't do anything in this fight. He wanted to help Jack, to keep his friend safe, but he was useless. Jaimie didn't have magic and he didn't know how to fight. All he could do was stand and watch as Jack swung his staff towards the creatures, repeatedly trying to repel their attack. Even as he destroyed many of them, there always seemed to be another ready to take its place. "Jack, I'm scared." Jaimie whispered, feeling like this battle was becoming hopeless. Hearing those words, Jack immediately knew he had to change tactics. If Jaimie got to scared, Pitch would only grow stronger and this battle would be lost.

"Jaimie, it's going to be alright. Take a deep breath and focus on me." Jack began kneeling down by the kid once he had a brief break in the attack. He pulled away briefly to shoot more ice at another nightmare before continuing his speech. "We're going to play a little game, Jaimie. Sounds like fun, right?" Jack suggested, putting a smile on his face as he blasted yet another nightmare in Jaimie's room. Jaimie nodded, giving Jack a small smile as he began to remember that there was still hope to win this battle. Jack was his Guardian, the one that would always protect him when he needed help.

Jack was busy trying to think of some game to make this fight, something to distract Jaimie while he dealt with Pitch. "Uh, how about tag?" Jack suggested, thinking that at least it would get the kid away from this place. Racing over to Jaimie for just a moment, Jack reached out to tag him and start the game. Instead of tapping Jaimie, a person emerged in between the two boys, a tall man dressed completely in black with grey colored skin and yellow eyes. He gave Jack a wicked grin, staring straight into his eyes. "Well, it looks like I'm it then. Shall we begin?" Pitch asked, feeding on the child's fear. It was brilliant, so strong and vibrant. Even as he believed in the other Guardians, this boy could not help but believe in Pitch as well.

"Get away from us!" Jack yelled, sending ice towards Pitch only to watch him vanish into the shadows. As he did so, the blast continued on its path, straight towards Jaimie. Seeing the threat, Jack rushed forward and tackled Jaimie to the ground, just as the ice flew past them and slammed into the wall. "Better be careful, Jack. You don't want to hit Jaimie, do you?" Pitch asked, laughing in the shadows. "Stop playing games! Show yourself!" Jack yelled, standing tense and waiting for Pitch. The nightmares had stopped coming, but their master was now here, a threat to both of them while they were alone.

"Why would I do that? Oh, that's right, I'm supposed to try and tag one of you now. Let's see, who should I pick?" Pitch said from the shadows, his voice echoing throughout the room. "Jaimie, stay close to me." Jack whispered, standing next to his believer. Jaimie nodded, hugging Jack's waist as he waited for Pitch to come. "Now isn't that just precious? The winter spirit and his only believer, huddling together for protection. Too bad that in my world, such things cannot remain." Pitch said, finally emerging and grabbing Jaimie. He screamed, clinging to Jack while the winter spirit reached out to grab him and pull him to safety. Unfortunately, Pitch chose now to call back his nightmares for help. As they arrived, they attacked Jack, biting his arms and legs while he tried so hard to protect Jaimie. Eventually, his strength faded with the pain that came from his injuries and his grip loosened on the boy, sending him straight into the arms of Pitch Black.

Pitch laughed gleefully, stroking Jaimie's chin as he gazed into Frost's eyes. "Well, he sure is a special boy now isn't he? I can see why you care for him so much, Frost, but unfortunately I cannot allow a single shred of belief to remain in my world." Pitch declared, dragging Jaimie towards the window. Jaimie struggled, trying to free himself from Pitch's grip. "Let me go! I get it, your strong, but that doesn't give you the right to control others!" Jaimie yelled, realizing that his struggles were getting him no where. "Oh? Well, we'll just see about that." Pitch said, grinning as he turned around and threw the boy out the window. Jack, who had been involved in fighting off nightmares once more, was able to see it as it happened. "No!" he yelled, watching his only believer plummet to his death.

Pitch had opened his black hole at the last moment, a portal that brought people to other worlds. He wasn't here spreading belief and Jack believed that Jaimie was dead. This mission had been successful, at least that was what he thought before he saw the look on the winter spirit's face. Jack was furious, now wanting nothing other than the destruction of Pitch for what he had done. As his anger grew, so did his power. The temperature in the room dropped as ice began to cover the walls of the room. Snow began to fall outside, building up to a full-on blizzard with winds shaking the trees outside. The entire time, Jack stood silently in the room in front of Pitch, glaring at the King of Nightmares and more prepared than ever for a fight.

This time, even his nightmares were not a match for Jack's strength. He froze them over without a second thought, watching them burst into explosions of sand and snow. Jack continued moving forward, focused on Pitch alone. "Now, now, Frost. This isn't how we play the game." Pitch said, trying to calm him down. Jack would not listen, pointing his staff straight towards Pitch and standing ready to destroy him for what he had done. "Is this what Jaimie would have wanted, Jack?" Pitch asked, trying to find another angle. This one only seemed to make things worse. Now, the blizzard had moved inside, wind throwing papers around the room and snow covering the floor and furniture.

"Jaimie told me to stop you, to protect the other children. That is exactly what I am going to do." Jack said, anger in his voice with no hint of his normal cheerfulness. Pitch knew he needed another approach to save himself, something a bit more secretive for this to work. Perhaps Jack's sole focus on himself could be used against him. Carefully, Pitch began to send one of his nightmares towards the spirit, from behind him in the hopes to catch him off-guard. It was hard for it to approach in this weather, but Pitch had no other options.

Jack sensed the nightmare at the last second, turning to fight it off just as it was about to bite down on the back of his arm. As he turned, the creatures mouth instead wrapped around his staff, snapping it in two as it bit down. Jack gasped, feeling pain surge through him as his connection to winter was lost. The staff fell to the ground, in two halves as Jack collapsed next to it. The storm stopped, everything landing in a mess around the room as the blizzard outside began to calm down. Meanwhile, Pitch watched with interest as he discovered this new weakness of the winter spirit. Now that the boy was broken, both in spirit and his magic, there was no one left who could stop him. "Better luck next time, Jack Frost. Now you know that no one can defeat me, not even you." he called out, getting on top of one of his nightmares to fly away on. He was going to escape while he could, but the look on Jack's face had been priceless. It was the look of a man who had no hope and no will to fight.

 **Please review and tell me what you think!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer:** I do not own ROTG or Once Upon a Time.

 **Thank you to milli.a205 for following this story!**

(Today in Storybrooke)

Jaimie was running for his life, knowing that this would be his only chance to escape. Pitch had left for a moment, claiming to be investigating something nearby. Jaimie didn't think he would get a chance to run, but for some reason the nightmares had seemed distracted as well. Their master had been growing irritated so they had wanted to join him. Jaimie decided to use this however he could, trying to run to escape his prison and find help somewhere nearby. He couldn't be completely isolated, not with what Pitch planned on doing. In order to destroy belief, he needed people to influence. As Jaimie ran, the nightmares began to grow interested in him, beginning the chase through the forest.

Jaimie was breathing hard, trying to ignore his fear since it was what attracted the nightmares in the first place. If only Jack were here, maybe Jaimie could try and think of something fun instead. As it was, all he was able to do was focus on dodging tree branches and roots as he ran. If he fell down, the nightmares would catch him and he would be back where he started. It might even be worse, if Pitch decides to try and punish him. He shuddered at the thought, giving him more strength to push forward again.

As he ran, he began to feel the breath of one of the horses on his back. It tried to bite his shirt to drag him back, but Jaimie jumped to the left to dodge it. He had learned a few tricks before the curse, but it still wasn't enough to beat Pitch. Even now, Jaimie could feel his energy draining as he ran. He wouldn't be able to keep this up for long and Jaimie still couldn't see the end of this forest. He didn't know if he was running deeper inside or towards a town, but he knew he couldn't stop now. He was breathing hard, and his pace was slowing down while the nightmares were relentless, able to keep their pace without effort.

Eventually, Jaimie found himself colliding with someone in the forest, stopping him completely during his run. "Let me go!" he yelled as he felt the man grab him. Jaimie needed to run, but this adult didn't seem to realize that. He was tall, with black hair and a short beard. The strangest thing about him was his his missing hand. Where it should have been, there was only a shiny silver hook. "Calm down, lad. What's gotten you so excited?" Hook asked, trying to figure out who this strange kid was. Jaimie turned around and saw that they were surrounded now. After a moment of hesitation, Jaimie grabbed the sword he saw sheathed on the man's waist, waving it at the horses in front of him. "Stay back! I'm not afraid of you!" he yelled, trying to make his words true. As he stared at them and began to regain his energy, Jaimie slowly found himself believing in those words. He could get away and stop these things, all he had to do was believe.

As his fear quieted down, the horses also began to relax. Without fear nearby to keep them strengthened, they began to fall apart into piles of sand on the ground. Jaimie stood ready, in case one of them was still strong enough to fight. As soon as they all fell apart, Jaimie took a huge breath of relief and let the sword drop. "Care to explain what that was about?" Hook asked, trying to see what the kid had seen. Emma had called him, warning him of a new danger in town that he needed to investigate. Hook had come out here to try and locate this enemy, but he was having no luck. Perhaps this kid knew something, but he didn't seem very talkative yet.

Jaimie glanced at Hook, not willing to give Pitch any more believers that could fuel his power. "Nothing. Sorry, I guess I overreacted." Jaimie said, shrugging and handing the man back his sword. "I'm Jaimie, by the way." he said, smiling now that he was free. He had someone here to help him get away. With this man here, Pitch wouldn't dare attack. After all, if someone believed in him it was still more belief that needed to be destroyed. Hook shook the boy's hand, still trying to figure out how he had gotten here in the first place. He hadn't seen this child in town before, but he must be from the Enchanted Forest if he was here. No one could enter the town, not with the protection spell over it.

"Killian Jones, though most people prefer to call me Hook." he said, making the boy's grin widen. Captain Hook was standing in front of him, in real life. He had met others in the Enchanted Forest, learned that all fairy tales were real, but this was one he hadn't met. If Hook was real, was Peter Pan real too? Could he go to Neverland where he would be able to play all day long and never have to worry about any rules? It sounded like a great life, like the life he could pretend he had when Jack was around.

"Really? You're Captain Hook?" Jaimie asked, not quite able to relate this man's appearance to what he was used to seeing in movies. Then again, most of the fairy tales got the stories all wrong. He had met Snow White and learned some survival tips from her, after all. She might have been a princess, but she sure knew how to fight when she needed to. "Look, I don't have time to answer your questions, mate. We are looking for an incredibly dangerous foe right now, one with powerful magic. If you can help me, great. If not, then I must be on my way." Hook said, getting annoyed with this kid. He needed to focus on his mission after all.

"Wait! You're looking for Pitch?" Jaimie asked, unable to believe that anyone other than the Guardians was trying to fight back against the man. Hook frowned as he stared at the boy, wondering just what he knew. "Aye, and we plan on taking him down. No one messes with our town and gets away with it." Hook commented, waiting to hear what else the boy would say. Jaimie hesitated, glancing down at his feet before deciding to tell them about Pitch. If they were going to fight, they needed to know exactly what they were up against. "He's the one who moved me out here. I've been held in the hospital since the first curse, since I accidentally got in the queen's way to see Snow's downfall. I don't know much of what has been going on around here, but I do know quite a bit about Pitch." Jaimie began, waiting to see if Hook wanted to hear more.

Killian was thrilled to have found such a great lead, but he needed to wait so the others could hear about Pitch. "Hold on a sec, lad. Let me take you to Granny's and we can talk more about this there, alright?" Hook asked, watching the kid nod in response. Together, they walked out of the forest and back into town. Hook had called Emma on the way, telling her to bring her family to the diner in town to discuss their next move. They all gathered near one of the booths, with Emma, Henry, Hook, and Jaimie sitting inside while Snow and Charming stood beside them.

"Jaimie?" Snow asked, recognizing the boy from her time in the Enchanted Forest. "Wait, you know the lad?" Hook asked, confused at her reaction. Snow nodded, trying to figure out what he was doing here. "Yes, we met in our land, before the curse. How did you get here?" she asked, knowing that she hadn't seen him here after any of the curses that had been placed on the town. "Same as you, the curse." Jaimie said, shrugging and taking a sip of his hot chocolate. The people had brought it to him and it was good. Surprisingly, they had decided to put cinnamon on top of it, which had seemed strange at first but actually made it even better.

"Why haven't any of us met you before, then?" David asked, uncertain about where the boy had been. "Well, I kind of got on the queen's bad side back in the Enchanted Forest." Jaimie said, sighing again and leaning back. "So, you guys wanted to learn about Pitch, right?" he asked, thinking about what Hook had been trying to ask him about. They nodded, looking serious now that the topic of Pitch was brought up. "Wait a second, there's something I still don't understand. Your story says you died, that you were thrown out of a window by Pitch Black." Henry commented, thinking back to the story he had just written down.

Emma remembered that as well, but she hadn't realized that it was about this kid. Jaimie frowned, not liking to think about that day. It had been so confusing, not only by being taken away from what he always knew but also finding himself in a world that was so strange and different from his own. "I was…but Pitch created a portal at the last second. It brought me to their world, the Enchanted Forest." Jaimie said, leaving all of them stunned. Portals were almost impossible to make, but Jaimie made it sound like it was no big deal for Pitch. Could he really be that powerful?

"Listen, I get that you guys want to fight him, but you need to leave that to the Guardians. Pitch can't be stopped by normal people like us." Jaimie said, thinking back to the day he had lost. He had been so useless, unable to help Jack or himself as he was thrown away like trash. "It doesn't matter how bad things look, Jaimie, good will always rise up and fight back against evil. Trust me, it happens in every story out there." Henry said, trying to cheer up the boy. Jaimie shrugged, knowing he should tell them more about Pitch's power but no longer feeling in the mood to do so. He wanted to find Jack again, after so long of being trapped in this town. He wanted to see the snow, go sledding or have a snowball fight.

"I think we all should take a little break. Do you think you could meet us back here tomorrow, Jaimie?" Snow offered, seeing the look on his face. Jaimie shrugged, uncertain of Pitch's plans at this point. The guy definitely would want Jaimie back, but Jaimie did not know when he would strike again. "Guys, we need to get out to the forest! Pitch is-" a voice yelled out, bursting into the room through the door with a gust of wind.

Most of the diners ignored this newcomer, not believing in him at all so they were unable to see. Jaimie's eyes were wide, staring at his old friend for the first time in over twenty three years. Jack Frost was here, in Storybrooke, still fighting back against Pitch. Jaimie began to feel happy, knowing that Jack would always be there to help him no matter what happened. He began to grin wildly at the winter spirit, watching his stunned expression as Jaimie got up and ran towards him. "Jack!" he screamed, not caring if the others thought he was crazy.

Jack was frozen, unable to comprehend what he was seeing. Jaimie had died, years ago, that was something Jack was certain of. He had watched the boy fall, from a height that would have killed him. His apartment had been so high up, making that fall deadly to any human. Yet, Jack could not deny that he was here, alive and well. As he felt Jaimie wrap his arms around Jack, he began to realize exactly what had happened. Pitch had tricked him, playing games to try and use his fear against him. Jack felt his anger grow, knowing that he would not let Pitch get away with this trick. He had spent years trying to cope with his failure, with the fact that he had failed Jaimie when he needed him the most. As he hugged Jaimie, Jack knew that Pitch would fall soon. He would make sure of it.

(Many years ago, in the Enchanted Forest)

Jaimie groaned, feeling lost and disoriented. He was lying down on the ground, but he was not looking up at his apartment building. Instead, he saw the open sky, with a few tree branches within his vision. Sitting up, Jaimie frowned as he studied where he was. This place was nothing like his home and it was clearly far from Burgess. "Hey, need a hand?" a voice asked from beside him, making him jump back. It wasn't Pitch's voice, but it had come from no where just like him. He saw a girl near him, with dark black hair and pale skin, smiling at his reaction. "Wh-who are you?" Jaimie asked, his voice shaking slightly as he tried to recover from his ordeal.

"I'm Snow White. Who are you?" she asked, smiling at him and holding out her hand to help him up. Jaimie grabbed it, still trying to figure out where he was. "Jaimie. Hey, where are we?" he asked, confused about where they were. "We are a few days journey away from the southern palace." she told him, only confusing him further. "Where are you trying to go? Maybe I could help you?" Snow offered, seeing the confused look on his face. "Burgess. I'm from Burgess." he told her, this time making her confused. "Well, I've never heard of this kingdom before. Perhaps we can look for it together?" she offered, making him smile as he followed her.

Snow taught him many things about the forest, such as navigation and tracking. He learned how to survive in this world, even if it hadn't been what he had planned for himself. He loved this place, even if it wasn't his home. Eventually, Snow began to come and see him less frequently, after telling him that she lived a ways away from the forest. He had nodded, still enjoying the quiet of his shelter in the woods.

Today, he was wandering on his own after living here for a few months. Snow had warned him that now was the time to leave, that a great danger would be coming soon to this land. Jaimie was searching for a way home when he saw it coming. In the sky, Jaimie could see a giant purple cloud filled with lightning slowly approaching the woods he was in. As soon as he saw it, Jaimie was reminded of Pitch and his dark magic. Jaimie felt fear in his heart and he began to run, trying to get away from it before it consumed him.

As Jaimie ran, he found himself on a road, directly in front of a carriage that had been moving at an incredibly fast speed. Jaimie thought he was going to get hit by the carriage, but instead it stopped and a women stepped outside of it. She was dressed in a long black gown, with her hair pulled up and scowl on her face. "Who dares interrupt me on my path to watch Snow's defeat?" she asked, glaring at the boy in front of her and waiting for an answer. Jaimie hesitated, but he realized he didn't have much of a choice if he wanted to get out of here. "J-Jaimie. Jaimie Bennet." he replied, backing away slightly as she came closer.

She laughed at him, reaching forward while he stumbled and tripped on some rocks behind him, falling down. "No one is going to ruin this day for me, Jaimie Bennet. I will not allow it." she declared, leaning down and shoving her hand into his chest. Jaimie felt like something was yanking inside of him, before he felt himself being short of breath once his heart was gone. He stared in shock at the glowing object in her hand, knowing that this was magic even darker than Pitch's. This women had torn out his heart and he had no idea what she was going to do now.

"Please, just let me go. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to get in your way." he begged, watching her prepare to crush his heart. The queen hesitated for a moment, getting a brilliant idea. The curse was already coming, so why not make this boy a part of it? Laughing, she gave the boy back his heart before turning around towards her carriage. "Very well, I shall let you live. Know that this is your only gift from your merciful queen, but it comes with a price. Enjoy the curse, Jaimie Bennet, for it will take away all your happiness." she promised, riding away towards the castle once more. Jaimie was left sitting in the dirt, watching as the cloud consumed him and the entire town, erasing his memory and providing him with a new life. Jaimie hadn't remembered anything after that, only knowing that he was trapped and unable to escape from his prison in the hospital.

 **Please review and tell me what you think!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer:** I am not the owner of Rise of the Guardians or Once Upon a Time

 **Happy holidays everyone! I hope you enjoy this new chapter and thank you all for reading.**

"I can't believe you're actually here! Are we going to play a game like we used to? Please?" Jaimie asked, his eyes bright as he stared up at the winter spirit and forgot about why he was here. Slowly, Jack was beginning to recover from the shock of seeing Jaimie. He felt himself grinning along with the kid, happy to see that he was alive and well. Jack would gladly begin another snowball fight with Jaimie, a special fight for their reunion here. "Of course we can! Come on!" Jack said, his voice cheerful for the first time since he had come here. Yes, he had attempted to keep up his normal care-free attitude, but this time he was truly beginning to feel like his old self.

"Hold on! Don't we have bigger problems to deal with? Like Pitch for example?" Emma asked, getting up and stepping in front of them before they could walk outside. "Well, by lessening our fear we are weakening Pitch. Having fun makes us forget about our fears, right?" Jaimie suggested, grinning up at Jack again. Jack laughed, agreeing with him completely. Fun was the perfect weapon against someone like Pitch, if he could use it properly. "Guys, this isn't a game! Our lives are on the line and you two just don't seem to understand how important this is." Emma complained, once more trying to convince them to stay inside.

"I don't think they're going to listen, love. They seem intent on having a wild party, just the two of them." Hook commented, taking a drink of his rum as he joined the conversation. He had been informed of Jack Frost along with Pitch, giving him the ability to believe in the winter spirit. "Wait, did she just mention both of us? As in she sees you too?" Jaimie asked, turning towards Jack. He shrugged, not too concerned with it. Jaimie was still his favorite believer by far, the only one who understood how to truly have some fun. "That is so awesome! We can all go outside together! Do you think you can recreate that snowball fight you made for me and my friends in Burgess?" Jaimie asked, his excitement still not fading.

"Emma, one game won't hurt anyone. Go on and have some fun!" Snow said, trying to encourage her daughter to enjoy her life more. Emma was always so serious, focused on trying to save everyone around her. She needed to learn how to relax once and a while. "Not now, Mom. We are apparently dealing with a man who can create portals whenever he wants, and he controls fear itself. This is not someone we can just ignore!" Emma insisted, still not willing to let this go. "Jack, are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Jaimie asked with a grin, thinking about how Jack normally started snowball fights. Grinning, Jack crouched down by Jaimie and nodded, creating a single snowball in his hand before frosting it over.

"Would you like to do the honors?" Jack asked, handing it over to Jaimie. "Seriously? What makes you think a snowball will change my mind?" Emma asked, crossing her arms over her chest. Jaimie grinned, throwing it at her and hitting her shoulder, laughing as it hit its target. "Alright, now we should be good to go. I'll get the snow and then the real fun can begin." Jack said, flying outside and bringing snow towards the town.

Jaimie ran out into the snow, trying to catch snowflakes in his mouth as he waited for Jack's magic to work on Emma. Shortly, she joined him, running up and creating a snowball of her own to throw, using her magic to create it. Jack saw her magic and he grew far more interested in the fight, deciding that this might actually be a challenge. "So you have magic too? Well, let's just see what you can do." Jack said, flying towards them and laughing as he threw snow at both Jaimie and Emma. "No fair! Get down here where I can hit you!" Jaimie complained, upset that he was flying for the fight.

Knowing that Jaimie was the real reason for starting this, Jack agreed to his request and landed on the ground, swinging his staff behind him as he prepared to dodge a throw from his believer. Jaimie had already gained his own personal arsenal of snowballs, gathering them at the base of his feet to throw whenever he had an opening. Emma had stopped using magic, now resorting to making snowballs with her hands to throw at all of them. "Well, that is surprising. I never thought I'd see you so playful, love." Hook commented, watching them from inside the diner. He was leaning inside the doorframe, but Jack was not going to let anyone stay outside of this game.

"That means you better not miss your chance, pirate. Come out and join the fun!" Jack cheered, throwing snow at him and hitting his face with the snow. Hook frowned for a moment, not liking this game now that he was the target. He could see the mechanics of the strange game, how they smushed the snow into balls before throwing it, but he had never participated in such a game. Sighing, he decided that he might as well try and join in. He knelt down, gathering a clump of snow in his hand and soon discovering the difficulties of making a snowball with one hand. As hard as he struggled, he could not seem to make any.

"Right, didn't see that. Here you go, have some fun!" Jack said, flying by him and making a pile of snowballs by his feet so he could join. Jaimie grinned at Jack, happy to be playing once more with him and others that believed. This was the side of Jack that he had always known, the playful winter spirit that always had a smile on his face. The people of Storybrooke had not expected such a change in his attitude, from a man who was trying to keep them away from everything to a child trying to play games with them. Hook took the offer from the spirit, grabbing the pre-made snowballs and throwing them at Emma, who laughed and threw more snow at him in return.

"Don't leave me out!" Henry yelled, running forward and joining in the fun. He had written about Jack Frost's snowball fights, but this was his chance to participate and have some fun. This was the Jack from his stories, the Jack that never let anything bring his mood down. Henry wanted to see more of him, so he was laughing and throwing snow like the rest of them. Snow and Charming stayed away from the fight, watching from inside the diner by looking out the window. They smiled as they saw their family having fun, even in times of such danger. These were the moments that they lived for, the moments of joy in between the struggles they faced every day.

Slowly, Jack's magic began to wear off of Emma. She had played for far longer than Jack expected, telling him that she had an incredibly pure heart. Despite her tough attitude, this girl must care deeply about everyone around her. As she began to stop throwing snow, she seemed to realize that Jack had tricked her. "You…how did you do that?" Emma asked, wondering how he had changed her mood so quickly. "Isn't it obvious? Magic." Jack commented, shaking his head and walking over to Jaimie. He wasn't going to let this kid out of his sights anytime soon, not with Pitch nearby.

Their conversation was interrupted by the appearance of another individual from this town, one that Jaimie recognized despite the obvious change in her appearance. The queen that had tried to steal his heart was here, ready to attack again. He immediately grabbed Jack's arm, hiding behind the winter spirit for protection. Noticing his behavior, Jack grew wary of this newcomer and held his staff ready to defend his believer. He wouldn't let anyone hurt Jaimie, not again. "What's this? Are we all having a snowball fight? How…childish, I never expected that from you, Emma." Regina commented, glancing at the snow on the ground and deciding that it wasn't the game for her.

Jaimie was still scared, afraid of what this woman could do if she chose to attack. "What do you want? Just take it and go." Jaimie demanded, still huddling close to Jack but wanting to get rid of her as quickly as possible. Regina frowned, staring at the young boy behind Jack. He had brown hair like Henry, but he had freckles on his cheeks and warm brown eyes. He was wearing a winter hat, but the rest of his clothes were dressed for warmer weather. He had dark blue jeans and a plain white t-shirt on, clearly not enough for the weather that was going on around here. Despite that, the boy did not seem to be shivering.

"I don't know what you've heard, but I have changed. I am moving on from my past, regardless of what you've heard from others." Regina said, confused at why the boy didn't know this. Everyone in Storybrooke knew of how she had changed, that she was working hard to be good and get her happy ending the right way. Even with Robin gone, Regina was not going to give up on that goal. She would not revert back to the darkness, not again. "So…you're not going to hurt me?" Jaimie clarified, still remembering what she had done before. "Regina, what did you do to him?" Emma asked, knowing that this kid wouldn't be scared like this without a reason.

"I don't know! I can't say that I remember him." Regina commented, feeling guilty. She had caused so much pain that she could no longer recognize her victims. This boy may have been one of them, or he could simply be someone who heard of what she had done. "You ripped out my heart, just because I was in the road." Jaimie whispered, pressing his head into Jack's hoodie. Hearing this, Jack glared at the women in front of him. No one got to hurt Jaimie, not when Jack was around. This girl would regret harming his friend, but Emma stopped him from doing anything too impulsive. "Look, that is who she used to be. She…went through a hard time, after losing someone very close to her. Now, she has moved past her anger and wants to start a new life." Emma said, kneeling down in front of Jaimie.

Jack knew exactly how that felt, losing someone close to you. He had felt it, when Jaimie was gone. That emptiness, the desire to destroy the person responsible, Jack knew it all. Staring at the women in front of him, Jack slowly began to lower his staff and give her a chance. He had managed to control his anger, so this girl could do the same. As Regina stared at the boy, she slowly began to remember who he was. It was one of the few hearts she had returned during her time as the evil queen, but it didn't change the punishment she had given him. Even after her curse, she had forgotten about the child she had put in the hospital, as a permanent resident for being mentally unstable according to her curse. This child had been here for years, without being able to talk to anyone and it was all her fault.

"I'm sorry, I truly am. Is there anything I can do to make up for it?" Regina asked, joining Emma and kneeling in front of the boy. As she did so, she moved straight through where Jack was standing, making him feel cold rush through him. "Hey! Get back and stay away from my friend." Jaimie complained, not liking it when people walked through Jack. It had always irritated him, especially when he saw how much it bothered the winter spirit. "I'm sorry?" Regina questioned, not seeing anyone there. "Our newest resident. Regina, I'd like you to meet Jack Frost." Emma announced, pointing to where Jack was standing. While it took a moment for her to believe, Jack was waiting patiently for it to happen. He grinned as her eyes widened in surprise, waving slightly as she backed up.

"Though, I wouldn't quite call myself a resident. I'm just a free spirit, flying through and bringing winter with me." Jack told them, walking around and tapping things on the ground with his staff. He was bored now, so frosting things over was what he was using to entertain himself. "Of course. What brings you to Storybrooke?" Regina asked, trying to figure out why the spirit of winter would be in this town. "Eh, nothing much. Just an old enemy, one who has taken things bit too far now." Jack commented, glancing back at Jaimie. Remembering his brief imprisonment with Pitch, Jaimie shuddered slightly.

"With Jack here, Pitch doesn't stand a chance!" Jaimie announced cheerfully, believing in Jack like always. "Well, I wouldn't quite go that far. First, I think it's about time to get reunited with some old friends." Jack commented, thinking back to Sandy's message. The Guardians were all alive out there, somewhere in another realm. Jack just needed to bring them back. Once that happened, he could destroy Pitch once and for all, keeping his promise to Jaimie and protecting all of the children of the world.

(Many years ago, in Burgess)

Jack felt weak, dazed from the loss of magic and the loss of Jaimie. Pitch had taken his staff with him, leaving Jack alone in Jaimie's old room. Jack felt too weak to even move, staying leaned up against the side of the bed as he thought about his mistake. He had done his best, but even that had not been enough. Jaimie was gone and Jack no longer saw the point in fighting. Without his believer, none of this was worth it to him. He stayed inside this room abandoning the world as he felt lost in his own sense of hopelessness for the future of everyone.

He lost track of time, not knowing how long it was until he saw someone again. He grew tense, recognizing Pitch's presence in front of him but knowing that he could not do anything to stop him. "Well, look at the sorry state you're in. Believe me, I never intended for this to happen to you, Jack. All I wanted to do was destroy belief in the world, a small thing that took far too much pain and loss to achieve." Pitch commented, walking around the room as he spoke. "You don't know anything." Jack gasped out, sitting up straighter and trying to look strong in front of Pitch. He had to try, if only to keep himself alive at this point.

"A world without belief, that is my true dream, but it is a lonely world for me. A world where fear is always present, but I remain unseen. A world where even hope and wonder exist, but the Guardians have vanished. As lonely as this future sounds, it is what I desired for so long, until now." Pitch declared, sounding serious and not threatening for just a moment. Jack was growing curious, interested to hear what it was that Pitch was looking for. "You, Jack, are more like me than you realize. We both long to be accepted for who we are, to be loved and to have a family. My dream made me think it was impossible for me to have this family, but I now see that I was wrong." Pitch said quietly, kneeling down in front of Jack Frost.

Jack wanted to deny Pitch's words, but he couldn't. He really did want all of those things, a family and belief to keep him with people who would always care for him. Jaimie had been the closest thing Jack had to a family, almost like a little brother to the winter spirit while he was around. "So what? Just go away and leave me alone, Pitch. I don't care if you think we're alike, I'll never agree with your beliefs." Jack told him, giving Pitch a glare. Pitch ignored his glance, knowing that it would take time to convince Jack of what he was offering.

"We don't have to be alone, Jack, not even in the world I'm creating. We can be a family, the two of us always supporting each other. We don't need belief to exist, Jack, to be friends and understand one another." Pitch explained, growing excited at the possibility. "Look, to show that I am serious, I've even brought you a present. All you have to do is promise to let belief fade away from this world. Then, I promise, I will always believe in you just as you believe in me." Pitch told him setting the now repaired staff by Jack's side. It had taken some time, but Pitch had finally found a way to fix the broken staff.

Jack stared at it in shock, wrapping his hand around it gently. As he did so, he felt his connection to winter return, something he thought had been lost forever. "You fixed this…for me?" Jack asked, surprised to see that Pitch had done something nice for once. Pitch nodded, a smile on his face as he watched Jack Frost begin to consider the offer. Jack was so close to agreeing, but something was holding him back. He could still remember Jaimie's face. the expression he had when he begged Jack to save his friends. He couldn't betray Jaimie like that, not now when he was gone. Clutching the staff in his hand, Jack stood up slowly and locked eyes with Pitch Black. "I appreciate the offer, but there is no way I would ever work with you, not after what you did to Jaimie." he declared, ready to fight back if Pitch chose to attack.

Pitch only laughed, shaking his head at Jack and walking towards the window. "I gave you a chance. Don't come crying to me when you realize your foolish mistake. The Guardians are long gone and while you may still exist, no one believes in you and no one can see you. All that is left is to destroy belief in me, then this world will be complete." Pitch announced, jumping out the window and landing on a nightmare as he flew away. Jack stared after him, afraid that his words were true. It didn't take him long to discover the truth, that the Guardians had lost while Jack spent his time moping in Jaimie's room. He had failed them and everyone else. Pitch had been right about Jack, he had messed everything up the day he refused to join the Guardians.

 **Please review and tell me what you think!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer:** I am not the owner of Rise of the Guardians or Once Upon a Time.

 **Alright, I've got another chapter ready for all of you! I'll admit, I've been losing inspiration for writing lately and obsessing over reading once more. Sorry if I end up with a late update or two, but I promise that I'm not going to abandon any of my stories right now!**

(Today in Storybrooke)

Pitch Black knew that he was running out of time. He had done so much, tried so hard to get rid of belief in this world, and now it was all falling apart. With him here in this town, Pitch could already sense his power lessening, telling him that there was less fear in the world and more belief. As children grew up and learned of the Guardians, they began to believe. It had been his job to bring fear to them before that happened, preventing that belief, but he had been too distracted with this town. Now, Jack Frost was here and becoming a major problem, especially now that he had his first believer back. Jack would be fighting back now, with all of his strength once more.

Pitch had to act fast if he wanted to finish his plans. He had hidden in the forest for the time being, but now was the time to come out and play. His nightmares were getting anxious, ready for a healthy dose of fear to keep them present in the world. It was his job to supply that fear to them, regardless of Jack Frost and his friends. As he thought about him more, Pitch began to realize he was getting too worried over nothing. While Jack might be strong, he was nothing without the Guardians. They were the true threat, the ones that would be able to destroy him with their hope and wonder in the world. Even Jack Frost was not strong enough to bring back the Guardians, not by himself.

(Many years ago, in the North Pole)

Pitch Black had been thrilled with the way things turned out so far. He had magic and abilities beyond anyone's imagination. No one else was around to share in his magic and children everywhere feared him, just like he had once feared others. Now, his own fear was gone and he was the one bringing fear to others this world. It was nearly impossible for him to find someone that didn't believe in him and he was seen all across the world. His only regret was that Lucy had not believed before she passed on. Being immortal made losses like that hard, but not unbearable.

While Pitch's goal had been to destroy belief in magic at first, now it was different. He wanted to enjoy his magic, play around and see just how strong he could become. This was why he was talking to the moon once more, asking him for more power. "Please tell me, is there any way to become stronger than I already am? I need to spread more fear, bring more children and even adults over to my side so they can all see the truth." Pitch asked, glancing up at the white light in the sky. He waited, hoping to hear an answer. He frowned when none came, sighing and sending a wave of darkness towards the empty land nearby out of annoyance.

That was when he noticed the beam of moonlight shining on the ground in front of him. He had been away from humans, a place that was far too cold for any of them to really survive in. It was an arctic wasteland, known to them as the North Pole, but Pitch found that he actually liked it here. It was isolated and a good place to think without interruption.

As the moonlight hit the ground, something began to change. The ice began to melt and a pillar began to emerge from the ground, one that Pitch had never seen before. The ground shook as it was created, making Pitch stumble a bit as he watched it rise from the ground. Once it was finished, Pitch stepped forward to see what it was Manny was offering. In front of him was a book, with a large G stamped on the cover. No other words or letters existed on the cover, so Pitch opened it up for a better look of what it was. The first page provided the explanation he was looking for.

This is the book of the Guardians of the world. Any who sign and agree to the terms of this contract will receive power beyond their imagining, strengthening any existing magic and giving them more power than they had before. All that is asked in return is that they further the belief in the world and protect those that already believe. Fail to do so and you will fade away from this world forever. Should you choose to accept this price, turn the page and sign your name, Guardian of Childhood.

Pitch smiled as he read, not caring about the price. He could keep belief in the world, at least in himself. He had done it for years, with no issues at all. Smiling, he turned the page and signed his name, feeling the rush of power that came afterwords. Glancing up at the sky, Pitch found himself smiling at the moon. "Thank you, old friend. This will be of great use to me." he told the Man in the Moon.

His power had increased greatly afterwords, allowing him to bring fear and darkness to both children and adults. His darkness spread throughout the world, creating the magnificent time known as the Dark Ages. Unfortunately, this was also when new Guardians began to emerge, Guardians that made Pitch angry with Manny and with the world around him. "North! Go away, this is my world." he yelled, seeing the sleigh flying across the sky. North only laughed, amused by Pitch's threats, but continued on his journey.

He fought hard to destroy the others, to stop them from stealing his belief. He still remembered that final battle well, the battle where the other Guardians had finally chosen to unite against him. He had been standing in front of North, after doing his best to stop christmas from coming this year, with Sandy, Tooth, and Bunny by North's side. "It's over, mate. Look at you, your belief is almost gone." Bunny commented, seeing the state the boogeyman was in.

It was true, Pitch could feel the weakness in his body from the loss of belief. Children didn't want to see him anymore, not when they could look out the window to see the Sandman or catch a glimpse of Santa in the sky. "No! It is never over, I am and always will be the strongest spirit alive!" he yelled, refusing to admit defeat. To prove his point, Pitch sent a wave of darkness towards the other Guardians, trying to destroy them once more.

Sandy had been the one to stop it, creating a shield with his golden dream sand. That was when Pitch got the idea to try and utilize that sand in his own magic, create nightmares to spread fear throughout the world. He reached towards it, carefully taking some of the sand and hiding it under his cloak. As they continued to fight, his darkness colliding with Sandy's sand, he began to gather more. He would use this to see just how well his darkness mixed with this sand. He smiled, knowing that he would gain belief once more in this world, once these Guardians were gone.

As he focused on Sandy, he didn't pay attention to the other Guardians who had begun to sneak up behind him. Bunny was the one that slammed his fist on his head, making Pitch fall to the ground and feel sick as more weakness came. He felt the last believer fall, taking away not only his magic but his very being. The Guardians had watched Pitch Black vanish from the world, but Pitch felt what was truly happening. He was not dying, but moving somewhere new. As soon as he opened his eyes once more, he found himself in a world that was completely white, nothing around to tell him what was happening. He screamed in anger, anger at the moon, anger at the children, and anger at the Guardians. He would not lose, not yet. As soon as he got out of this place, he was going to change his plan. He had officially died in the eyes of the book, making his contract null and void. All that he had to do was return and he could go back to his original goal. He would destroy all belief, no matter what it took. No one would gain magic again and if they did, none of them would live to be a Guardian.

(Today in Storybrooke)

Jack Frost knew of only one man who might be able to find and return the Guardians to this world. The Dark One had found Sandy, so he must be able to bring back the others. This was what he had been thinking when he flew through the town, searching for the man. The others had been left behind, not following Jack's idea and not realizing what he was trying to do. Jaimie understood though, and had waved goodbye to his friend while he went to do his job. "No you don't! You're staying with me, kid!" Jack had yelled, grinning and picking Jaimie up to fly with him. Jaimie had laughed, always happy to join Jack on a flight anywhere.

"Alright, now where are you dark man?" Jack asked, staring down at the town below him. Even if it wasn't his name, that nickname had stuck in Jack's mind. "Who are you looking for?" Jaimie asked, trying to see below as well. Jack sighed and shook his head, not able to find him from here. "A man I met when I first came here. He was called the Dark One and he had Sandy with him." Jack explained, flying lower to the ground. As he flew through the streets, he found one place that made him stop as he looked through the window. It was Mr. Gold's Pawn Shop, and inside Jack could see the man behind the counter, polishing some object in his hands.

"There!" Jack pointed, landing and walking inside. He never cared much about doors or privacy, always just walking in on his own since most people couldn't see him. At least here that habit wasn't an issue, since this was a store. "How may I help you? If you're looking for your friend, he is busy at the moment." Mr. Gold said, setting down the cloth and trinket he had been polishing. He noticed the kid with Jack, making him frown slightly, but he moved on and made sure to focus on Frost. If he was here, perhaps they would be making a deal today.

"Where are they?" Jack demanded, knowing that this man knew where the Guardians were. "I haven't the faintest idea of what your talking about." Gold said, walking out from behind the counter and standing in front of Jack. "My friends, the other Guardians. You know where they are and I want them back." Jack claimed, his hand held tightly around his staff. Jaimie glanced at him in confusion, having not heard this before. "Wait, what happened to them? Did Pitch-" Jaimie began, but Jack shushed him softly. He did not want Jaimie involved with this man, not when his heart was so dark. It was very possible that he was willing to kill to get what he wanted, so Jack had to be on the defensive here.

"Well, I just might know where they are. What are you offering in return for that information?" Gold asked, waiting to see what the winter spirit could give him. He didn't see anything that he wanted from the boy, but he was always interested to see what people tried to offer. "What are you talking about? Don't you want to bring them back, to bring back Belle?" Jack asked, remembering this man's wife. His expression hardened, not liking what Jack was implying. "The only one I need to bring back my wife, is the Sandman. Do you really think that any of the others could help with that task?" he asked, trying to see the benefit.

Jack knew what he had to do now, how to deal with this man. He was selfish, looking for something to be gained if he tried to free the Guardians. "Well, Sandy can't help without belief. I've never been good at gaining it myself, so the Guardians are your best bet to make him strong enough to bring back Belle." Jack told him, returning his glare. He didn't like it when people refused to relax and have fun, but this was not someone to mess with right now. He might have tried to have some fun with him before, but Jack knew that it would have little effect on him now.

Gold realized the truth of the boy's words, taking a deep breath and leaning on the counter behind him. He was angry, angry that he hadn't seen it sooner. If he had, he could have brought Belle back that much quicker. That imbecile Hyde had refused to give him all the details and he was considering going back just to punish the man for his actions. Glancing towards the back room where Belle was resting with Sandy, he shook his head. She would not want him to do that, so he would refrain from being too violent this time.

"Very well, it seems that this will benefit me after all." Gold replied, walking behind the counter and opening his safe. He would need his ingredients to perform magic, even with the strength of all the Dark Ones combined. While portal jumping had once been outside of his abilities, it was now easy to accomplish with his new power. "So you'll help bring them here?" Jack clarified, wanting to make sure he wouldn't abandon his friends. "Yes, yes, you're friends will be fine. I suggest you leave before I change my mind." Gold commented, waving his hand and reopening the door with his magic. Jack nodded, grabbing Jaimie and leaving. He did not want to spend any extra time here, not with that man. As Jack flew back towards the diner, he had a smile on his face. Things were looking up for them, if the Guardians were returning. Now they would stand a chance against Pitch Black.

 **Please review and tell me what you think!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer:** I am not the owner of Rise of the Guardians or Once Upon a Time

 **Thank you to jackandelsaforever101 for the review! I totally agree that they should put Jack on the show sometime. Maybe they'll weave it into one of the untold stories this season? Anyway, sorry for the short chapter, but I figured you guys would prefer to have it updated on time instead.**

(Many years ago, in an unknown world)

Pitch Black was becoming very patient in this world. His weakness had not faded yet, but he could see the portal that existed here. He watched it every time it appeared, amused by the fact that he saw different places every time it showed. Sometimes, it would be the world he knew. Other times, it would show a place that was completely in black and white, where a doctor was performing experiments. Another world was overcrowded with people, filled with characters from all worlds. There were others that showed occasionally, these ones staying open longer than the rest. These were the places with magic, where everyone believed in its existence. Places such as Neverland and the Enchanted Forest were the places that Pitch had opportunities to leave to, but he was not interested in those worlds. He wanted to return home, to his world where he could have his revenge on the Guardians and on the Man in the Moon.

He was still sitting in this world, watching and beginning to notice a pattern. The portal to his world was slowly beginning to remain open longer, as the Guardians spread their hope, dreams, and wonder throughout the world. With a bit of patience, Pitch knew that one day he would be able to return. "I would not leave, Pitch, not if I were you." a voice said from behind him, startling him as he watched the place where the portal opened and closed constantly. A boy stood behind him, no older than a child, with his hands clasped behind his back.

"Who are you?" Pitch asked, narrowing his eyes at the child. "I am the Man in the Moon, of course. This is my realm, the place where I live and watch over all worlds." he explained, watching the portal behind Pitch. "Why? Why curse us to live like this?" Pitch asked, not understanding how someone could be happy making others live this way. Manny sighed, shaking his head at Pitch. "It has nothing to do with the individual and everything to do with the world. Some worlds need magic, Pitch, places like where you come from. I cannot control the rules of magic, the fact that it always comes with a price regardless of what world you live in." he explained, though Pitch was not satisfied with his answer.

"That is not enough! You cursed me to be invisible to the world, to abandon the only friend I had in my life! There must be another reason, something even more important than that." Pitch said, getting angry with this child. "You would not understand, Pitch, not anymore. Maybe if we had talked before you were chosen, things could have been different." he commented with a sigh, frowning at Pitch. "No, I will not accept this. All of this belief you are trying to obtain, this power you are creating, I will put an end to it. No one will believe in magic and no one will want it to exist in that world, I promise you I will make it happen." Pitch threatened, glaring at the boy.

"You cannot do so, Pitch, it is not within your power." Manny replied calmly, his face passive as he stared at his creation. Pitch was furious now, willing to try and attack this man in front of him. Despite his weakness, Pitch was able to try and send a punch towards the child, but he merely stepped back and let Pitch fall to the ground in front of him. "Know that should you try and succeed in leaving, you will have broken your contract with me. You will fall and face a far greater punishment, Pitch Black. I suggest you remain here and accept this as your fate." he commented, turning around to leave. Pitch did not care what Manny said, he was getting out of this place. He would destroy the belief in the world, regardless of what it took. It was his true destiny, the world he dreamed of creating. No one, not even the Man in the Moon, would stop him.

(Today in Storybrooke)

Pitch Black was making his move, running through the forest with his army of nightmares. He had to stop Jack at all costs, before belief returned to the world. Glancing up at the sky, Pitch glared at the moon. He would not let Manny win, not when he was so close to his perfect world. "Just you watch, old friend. Your precious chosen one will fall tonight and I will rise as the victor in this war." he promised, before returning his focus to his attack. This town needed a healthy dose of fear and he was all to happy to provide it for them.

As he rode through, he began to wander inside homes, creating nightmare sand to bring forth more nightmares for his army. The people sleeping began to squirm, seeing horrible visions in their dreams as their fear strengthened Pitch and the nightmares already present behind him. "Enjoy your dreams, Storybrooke. Tonight is the last night you will have any, before my fear replaces them with sweet, sweet nightmares." he promised, walking outside of the house he had been in. He left the girl sleeping, shuddering with fear as he moved on in his path towards the center of town.

As he continued on his path, Jack Frost just returned to the diner where everyone was waiting to think of a plan to stop Pitch. "There you are. What have you been up to?" Emma asked, confused about why he had left so suddenly. The others had been waiting as well, trying to discuss how to find Pitch Black in the town. "Uh, nothing much. Just trying to get some friends here to help." Jack told them, sitting down on the table behind him. "You do realize that that is a table, right? You aren't supposed to sit on them." she commented, frowning at him. He grinned and actually laughed at her comment, not caring about rules. "Really? Pitch Black is here in town and that is what you're worried about? This is going to be easier than I thought." Jack replied, thinking that they were doing remarkably well at staying calm.

"Wait, what do you mean?" Snow asked, confused by his comment. She didn't understand how that made anything easier around here. "Oh, fear makes him stronger. He feeds on it, just like his nightmares." Jack commented, jumping off of the table and tapping the display of cookies with his staff. He laughed as customers jumped away at the sudden presence of frost on the food. "Hey, Jack, I think we should probably stay focused right now." Jaimie commented, glancing out the window and seeing a nightmare outside. He backed away, farther into the building to stay out of sight. He did not want Pitch to find him again, not after he had finally gained his freedom.

"What's up?" Jack asked, sensing the change in his mood. He followed Jaimie's gaze outside, his eyes narrowing as he recognized the creatures outside. "Looks like he's ready to play again." Jack announced, adjusting his grip on his staff and walking towards the door. "Alright, here's what we are going to do. Pitch is here and unless you have magic, you are pretty useless against him. Emma, I know you can help out a bit so follow me." Jack told them, walking towards the door. "Hey! What do you mean useless? I've fought plenty of battles, mate. I know how to deal with magic, from people as dark as the crocodile even." Hook complained, not wanting to let Emma go alone.

Jack sighed, shaking his head at them. He couldn't stop them from coming if they chose to, but he had wanted to minimize the damage Pitch could cause here. "Fine, come along if you think you can fight back against fear. Those black things out there are his nightmares, they feed on fear just like him and from the looks of it, they are getting stronger. Someone is afraid in this town and that is going to make this fight interesting." Jack told them, still waiting for the right moment to go outside. He needed to see Pitch first, to attack the leader of this army to stop it.

"Hey Jack! Don't forget to have fun while you're out there." Jaimie called out with a grin, trying to cheer Jack up. He didn't like seeing Jack so serious, he was supposed to be grinning and cheerful all the time. Hearing his words, Jack glanced back at Jaimie and gave him a smile. The kid had a point, after all. What was the point of fighting if he wasn't going to have fun doing it? Perhaps it was time to make this a real game, where Pitch and Jack were the players. "No problem, Jaimie. It's time for the game to begin. It's us versus Pitch, let's just see who wins." he commented, confident that he would win. After all, no one could beat Jack at his own game. Pitch would never see him coming, not before it was too late.

 **A/N: Pitch Black believes that his "death" caused him to lose Guardian status, but that is not quite true. He broke his deal with Manny, trying to destroy believers instead of protecting them. This is what really caused him to lose that power, not the fact that all belief in him vanished.**

 **Please review and tell me what you think!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer:** I am not the owner of Once Upon a Time or Rise of the Guardians.

(Many years ago, in Manny's realm)

Pitch had ignored Manny's words, still observing the portal and waiting for his chance. It didn't take long for it to finally open for a long duration, telling him that belief was getting strong back where he was from. He scowled at the thought, knowing that the children only believed in their precious Guardians. He would not let that remain true, not for long. As it switched from showing his world to showing another, Pitch prepared himself to rush out as soon as he had the chance. It would show him two more worlds before returning to his own, if it followed the pattern he had discovered so far.

"I'm going home and I'm bringing fear with me. No one will be safe from my plans and my darkness." Pitch promised, glancing down at the sand he still had with him. Only a little bit of effort and he would let it absorb his fear, transforming it into his own personal weapon. He smiled as he thought of what it would create in the world, an easy way to gain belief in himself and destroy the belief in the Guardians. He waited just a few more minutes, then finally the portal opened once more to his own world. Running forward, Pitch knew he was going to make it this time. Belief had grown strong and his world must be different now. It allowed him to pass through, making him gasp as he felt the sudden return of his power. Now that he was out, his magic was no longer tied to belief. He had died and been reborn, with fresh power ready to wreak havoc on this world once more.

At the same time, Manny saw the betrayal and made a plan of his own. Pitch needed to be punished for not accepting the debt he owed to magic. He would still pay the price, if only in a different manner. Glancing throughout that world, Manny found one boy that might just do the job. Manny had seen him before, watching as he played with his sister in the snow and played pranks on everyone else. It was the perfect personality to fight back against Pitch, if it could survive through fear. Today, he saw proof of its strength. Even on the brink of death, this boy kept his playful attitude, having fun and laughing with his sister before he fell through the ice towards his death.

Knowing that he had limited time now, Manny reached out towards the boy he had chosen. If the boy was going to survive, he would need a high resistance to cold temperatures and ice. This was what inspired his power, the simple necessity of them to keep him alive. He created his winter spirit, linking his power to the staff to keep it under control, so long as he had that staff in his grasp. Once the boy woke up, Manny did not know how he had suffered in the water, only knowing that the boy needed his new name. _You are Jack Frost._ He told the boy, watching him glance up at the moon and land on the ice. He began playing around once more as he discovered his power, making Manny smile. One day, that boy would bring down Pitch Black. All of the Guardians would, so long as they protected the belief and magic in this world.

As Manny turned his gaze away from the world, Pitch began his experiments. Children all around the world began to have strange dreams, some of them scary and others just unusual. It made Pitch frustrated that fear was not created immediately from his creations, but he had learned to be patient in Manny's realm. He could keep working with his supply of dream sand until it was perfected, making the perfect nightmares for children around the world. Finally, after hundreds of years, it had worked. He watched the golden sand above the girl's head transform when he added darkness to it. He realized they already had to be dreaming for it to work, to transform a good dream into a nightmare. As her dream transformed, the sand did as well, growing larger and darker as it landed by Pitch's side.

"Brilliant! You are absolutely perfect, my first nightmare. Together, we will take down the belief in this world and destroy the Guardians." he promised, petting the creature's muzzle. Sandy saw him through the window, shocked that the old Guardian of Fear had returned. Nervously, he began flying off towards the North Pole, wanting to warn the others before it was too late. He didn't know what Pitch was up to, but it couldn't be anything good. The last time they saw him, he had grown so jealous of the others that he tried to destroy them. He had forgotten about his true purpose, his job to protect the children.

He landed at the North Pole, walking inside and finding North hard at work. The yetis were making toys like normal, with the elves experimenting and attempting to do good work. Sandy laughed silently as he watched the elves, amused by their actions. "Ah, Sandy! What is news?" North asked, surprised to see the Guardian of Dreams in his home. It was rare for Sandy to visit. He was normally too busy creating dreams for children to stop by and visit.

Sandy began with one simple symbol, an image of Pitch above his head. North's face grew serious, knowing exactly what that meant. "Make preparations! We are going to have company!" North announced, pulling a lever to bring out the northern lights. The other Guardians would come soon, now that they had been signaled. Just as predicted, Tooth came flying in, wondering what was going on. Bunny hopped through the front door only a few minutes after her, shivering from the cold and upset at being interrupted. Easter was only three days away and he had work to get done.

"Pitch is back!" North announced, relaying Sandy's news. The others gasped, afraid and worried about what it meant. They all knew the rules of being a Guardian. It was impossible to come back, based on the rules of the agreement. "Pitch? That's impossible, mate." Bunny said, frustrated that he had been called here for a ridiculous reason like Pitch. "Sandy saw him! Tell them, Sandy!" North said, appealing to the other Guardian for help. Sandy nodded, providing another image of Pitch, followed by children, a horse, and a house.

"Look, that's great and all, but why does it concern us? As far as we know, he has forgotten all about us." Bunny complained, Tooth just sensed a tooth that needed to be collected and began giving commands to her helpers, trying to do her job and stay focused on their meeting. Just as Bunny finished talking, they all grew distracted by the sudden moonlight filing the room, making the pillar rise once more with the book of the Guardians resting on top.

"Guys, do you know what this means?" Tooth asked excitedly, flying over to the pillar. "He has chosen new Guardian. Must be important if Manny thinks we need help." North commented, watching carefully to see who had been chosen. Many spirits had appeared over the last few centuries, making the Guardians aware of other beings with magic in this world. "As long as it's not the groundhog, I'll be fine." Bunny commented, crossing his arms and waiting for an answer as well. "Maybe the leprechaun?" Tooth suggested, watching Sandy nod and create a clover above his head in agreement.

As the figure appeared, they all froze and were uncertain of what to do. North was pleasantly surprised, but Bunny was dead set against the idea. The moonlight had created an image of Jack Frost, the winter spirit. "No! There is no way that kid is going to be one of us!" Bunny insisted, remembering all of his blizzards during Easter. He always messed with his holiday, making it even harder to keep children believing in this age. "Bunny, he has done better lately. Even you know that he hasn't started a blizzard on Easter since 1968." Tooth said, trying to calm him down. He still glared at the image, watching the pillar sink back into the ground after the show was finished.

"He's still up to no good, that I'm sure of." Bunny complained. "He's just a selfish, irresponsible-" Bunny was saying, but North cut him off. "Guardian. Manny has spoken, Bunny, it is out of our hands. Jack Frost is Guardian, all we have to do is find him and bring him here." he declared, watching the others carefully. Sandy shrugged, not too concerned as long as Jack helped take care of Pitch. "Fine, but I'm warning you, you'll regret this, mate. I'll get him and bring him back, but I promise you, he is no Guardian." Bunny said, tapping the floor and opening a path to his tunnels. As he vanished into the hole, the other Guardians began to wonder if Bunny was right. Just what was Manny thinking, choosing a boy like Jack Frost to fight against their worst enemy and the first Guardian to have ever existed?

(Today in Storybrooke)

Rumplestiltskin was hard at work, standing alone in the forest near the well. He had left Belle and the Sandman behind, placing a protection spell around his shop before he left to do his work. The spell ensured that no one could enter the shop and more importantly, that Sandy couldn't leave. He was not going to let that man escape so easily, not when Belle's life was on the line. He had brought what he needed outside, mainly his dagger, and now he only had to wait. He needed to speak with the moon to gain entry to this realm, something the others did not seem to understand.

Holding his dagger to the sky, Rumple watched the cloud finish passing over the moon. "The Dark One requests passage to and from your realm." he announced, pouring magic into his dagger as the wind began to pick up around him. The moonlight grew stronger, shining down in a circle around a spot in front of him. Rumple stood his ground, not moving from his position and smiling as he watched the portal open. "Thank you for your services, Manny. I'll only be there for a moment." he commented, placing his dagger inside of his pocket in his suit. He was not going to leave this world without it, where someone could find it and use it against him.

Gold stepped through the portal, knowing that it would only be open for a brief time. His own magic had given it more strength, but it always faded and vanished with time. He glanced around this new world, feeling rather unimpressed with it. It was blank, completely white without any distinguishing landmarks. On the ground, were the three individuals he was looking for. All of them looked weak and pitiful, but Gold was not concerned. They would grow stronger in Storybrooke, where magic was present and able to strengthen them without belief.

As he kneeled down by them, prepared to bring them back to his world, a child appeared in the realm, as if coming from nothingness. He looked almost like a younger version of Jack Frost, with pale skin and white hair, but that was where the resemblance ended. His eyes had no iris, only containing black pupils and his clothes were just as white as his hair. "Greetings, Dark One. I welcome you to my realm, however I must caution you against taking the Guardians back home." he began, his hands folded behind his back as he stared passively at the Dark One.

Gold did not like to be interrupted, not when he was busy dealing with important matters like Belle. "Oh? What exactly is stopping me? I don't think you have it in you to defeat me." Gold threatened, knowing that he was the strongest magical being in existence. No one had more power than the Dark One, and he had the power of all Dark Ones combined. "The price of magic, of course. This is the price the Guardians must pay. Only when belief is restored will they be able to return without incurring a far worse price." the child explained, glancing down at his Guardians without displaying any emotion.

Something about this child was beginning to make Gold feel wary, as if he was facing a powerful foe. He normally would have tried to make a deal, to create a different price for their magic, but something made him worry if it would truly be worth it. "It is almost there, the amount of belief necessary. Pitch is growing weaker and he is about to finally pay the price for failing in his duty so many years ago." the child added, watching the Dark One stand up and lock eyes with him. "If I promise to bring back belief when I return, will they be allowed to leave?" Gold asked, willing to accept that bargain. He could spread tales of magical creatures like this, if it meant saving Belle.

"Perhaps. The Sandman is left with only that option, if he wishes to avoid the price of magic. While he did not break our deal, he did fail to protect belief and thus a price must be paid." the child explained, his head tilted thoughtfully. "I've had enough of your riddles, boy. Tell me what I must do to bring them back now, before I decide to killing you is the best choice." Gold demanded, growing irritated with this child in front of him. "Threats will get you no where, Dark One, and neither will your magic. This is my realm and I control everything here. I have already told you what must be done to free the Guardians. Until belief has returned to the world they come from, they will remain here. Not even you have the power to change their fate, for it comes from a power even older than you." Manny said, his voice tense and tinted with a subtle anger. He did not like being threatened by anyone, and Rumplestiltskin was no different.

Gold understood exactly what he was saying, feeling irritated that he had used so much magic to get here only to leave empty handed. Without these beings, Belle would remain asleep for all eternity. He needed to inspire some belief in the world, but that was not his area of expertise. Perhaps it was time to appeal to his grandson for help. He was the only boy he had met who could inspire so much belief in others. Glaring one last time at the child, Gold turned around to head back home. It was not a wise idea to antagonize the moon, after all. One day, though, he planned on returning to take back these beings. Not even the Man in the Moon would be able to stop him next time he arrived here.

 **Please review and tell me what you think!**


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer:** I am not the owner of Rise of the Guardians or Once Upon a Time.

(Many years ago, in Burgess)

The first thing Jack remembered seeing was darkness. He was wet and cold, with no memory of how he got here. Vague images were in his head of people and voices, but no true memories existed before this single moment. He floated up to the surface of the icy water, opening his eyes and seeing a bright light above him. It seemed to chase away the darkness he had been in, making him realize that he didn't have to be afraid. As he climbed out of the lake. he heard a voice in his head. _You are Jack Frost._ It told him. Nothing more came, and with that Jack began exploring where he was.

The lake itself was frozen over, hidden within a forest of some kind. Jack walked across it, trying to figure out why he was here in the first place. Glancing around, the only clue he saw was a long stick on the ground, curved and shaped almost like a staff. Walking over to it, Jack gently tapped the edge of it with his foot to see if there was some kind of trick going on. He felt like there might be, but instead he found himself in wonder of the frost that covered the stick when he touched it. Deciding to try it again, this time Jack knelt down and touched it with his hand, feeling a connection deep within himself as he did so.

Grinning, Jack began to pick up the staff and experiment. He might not know where he came from, but he did know that this was making him happy. As he touched his staff against the trees nearby, ice covered them. When he slammed it against the ground, frost spread from the end of the staff, creating patterns on the ground that were amazing to behold. When he focused even further, he found that he could sense the temperature and wind around him. As he did so, he laughed and began to surround himself with the wind, making it carry him into the sky.

"This is amazing!" Jack yelled, landing ungracefully back on the lake after a few moments. He wasn't used to his magic, but he already loved having it. Staring at the sky, he wondered if he would get any more answers from the moon. Maybe he could do even more if he just remembered his home, but nothing came. Sighing, Jack took off towards the sky again, searching for another place that might hold the answer to who he was. He found a small village nearby, a place that seemed to be rather busy when he arrived. Even late at night, people were wandering through the streets, talking to their families and enjoying the peaceful scenery.

Jack walked up to one of them, thinking maybe someone here might recognize him. It wasn't far from the lake, after all. "Hey!" Jack called out, waving towards a girl he saw. She ignored him, simply walking down the street further. Getting annoyed, this time Jack flew directly in the path of a couple, thinking it would at least catch their attention. "Look, can either of you tell me where I am? Maybe you could-" Jack began, stopping when they walked straight through him. He felt an immediate sensation of cold inside of him as they did so, making him shudder and stumble back slightly. They weren't the only ones to walk through him either. Everyone in this town did the same, not hearing Jack and not seeing him.

"Why?" he whispered, his body shaking with sadness. He had this amazing gift, but at the same time no one could hear him. He had no memories and he did not know what to do now. Glancing up at the moon which was still hanging high in the sky, Jack asked him his question. "Why am I here?" he repeated, waiting for an answer. When silence was the response, Jack pulled his hood over his head and flew off, back towards the lake he came from. He had no interest in playing anymore. All he wanted was someone to talk to, someone who could give him some answers.

Every night, Jack would ask the moon the same question, hoping that this night would be the day he got an answer. As he began wandering outside of the lake he had begun to think of as home, he began to hear some things at least. There were others like him, but they had discovered the way to be seen. It had been on a holiday that he realized this. Jack had been bored, sitting in the park and playing with his own frost when the children arrived. His snow had begun to melt already, but that didn't stop the children from finding fun elsewhere.

Jack sat up, watching them closely to see if maybe one of them could see him. As a final check, Jack yelled out to them. "Hey! Any of you want to have some fun?" Jack offered, feeling disappointed when no one responded. Sighing, he leaned back down on the bench with his staff hanging by his side. They were being so boring, just digging through bushes and putting strangely colored eggs in their baskets. It wasn't fun at all, not to Jack anyway.

"Look! The Easter Bunny!" a voice called out, catching Jack's attention. He glanced up, surprised to see a giant rabbit with boomerangs strapped to his back running through the forest. "Uh oh. That wasn't supposed to happen." he grumbled, moving quicker to get out of sight. Children were supposed to find his eggs, but they weren't supposed to see him. It wasn't how the Guardians operated, knowing that being seen and interacting with children had resulted in Pitch's jealous attitude. "Out of my way, you little ankle-biters!" he called out, running past Jack Frost and making him interested in following as well.

"Hey, wait up!" Jack called out, flying after him to try and keep up. The children fell behind quickly, but Jack was not going to let him win so easily. Grinning, Jack decided to have a little fun and make this a race. As he twisted and turned down the streets, Bunny kept running, trying to get away from the boy chasing him. He didn't understand how a child had been chosen as a spirit, but he didn't have time to play games right now. He had more eggs to hide and more hope to bring to the world. "Don't think you're getting away that easily!" Jack warned, laughing as he began to catch up to the rabbit.

"Crikey, he's fast! I gotta lose him, though." Bunny commented, glancing behind his shoulder to see the flying winter spirit getting closer. "Better luck next time, mate!" he yelled, this time talking to the boy as he stopped moving completely. "Wait, I just wanted to ask you a question." Jack stated, making Bunny pause as he was about to open a path to his tunnels.

"How can they see you? I've tried…everything and still…no one hears me." Jack asked, his voice sounding lost and desperate. Bunny felt sympathetic to the boy, but he also wondered how he didn't know such basic information. Manny had informed all the Guardians of the price of magic before giving it to them, so why was this boy different? Deciding he should help the poor guy out, Bunny gave him a brief explanation. "They have to believe, mate. It's why we Guardians are around to protect the believers." Bunny told him, tapping the ground with his foot to open up his tunnels. As he disappeared inside, Jack let his head fall down. How was he supposed to gain belief in this world without being seen or heard? It was a mystery that would take him hundreds of years to solve, when he finally got belief from a boy named Jaimie Bennet.

(Today in Storybrooke)

Jack Frost had a smile on his face, happy that he was able to defend Jaimie properly this time. There was plenty of room for the kid to hide while he fought off Pitch's army. As he swung his staff, he sent a blast of ice towards one of the creatures on the street, freezing it and forcing it to explode in a shower of sand around them. As he fought more of them off, Hook unsheathed his sword and begun swinging it at them. It cut through the sand, gradually wearing the beasts down until they fell apart completely without enough sand to stay together.

Emma was waiting for a chance to attack, standing back as a last line of defense. She would not let them get inside to hurt her family, not after she had worked so hard to keep them together. She was this town's savior and she would keep them safe. "Emma, watch out!" Hook called, seeing a nightmare break free and charge towards her. Emma held her hands out, channeling light magic through them that blasted the horse. As the white light hit the creature, Jack watched in shock as it transformed, purifying and becoming a normal dream. The now golden horse flew above them, making Jack laugh at the sight. "Way to go! Hey buddy, why don't you find a child in need of a good dream?" Jack commented, first to Emma then to the horse. He watched it fly off, outside of the town before focusing back on the fight.

Emma didn't quite understand what had happened, but she knew that it was effective to destroy these things. Channeling her magic again, she did the same to another one of them. "Keep it up, Emma. Bring back the good dreams and maybe Sandy will be strong enough to help us out." Jack suggested, knowing that these dreams were the fastest way to create belief in children. Jack sent another ice blast into the horde of nightmares, taking two of them out at once while Hook finished another one off with his sword.

As Hook spun around, facing yet another creature he began to wonder how large this army was. It didn't seem like they were making a dent in the army, even though they had been fighting for quite some time. He swung his sword down once more, defeating yet another nightmare just as one grabbed his coat from behind. He felt himself trip and fall, grunting as he hit the ground but feeling the pressure vanish as Emma blasted the creature with his magic. "Just how many of these things are there?" Hook asked, getting back up and standing next to Jack as they became surrounded with nightmares.

Jack frowned, not quite knowing how to explain. This army was as endless as dreams were, created by dreams and strengthened by fear. If fear was destroyed, the nightmares would fall as well, but right now there was plenty of fear for them to feed on. Jack could tell that Pitch had been spreading his darkness around this town, so it would be impossible to destroy them by eliminating the fear here. What Jack could do was find and destroy their master, though, if he could just get a break from the fight. "It doesn't matter! We can't let them get to Henry." Emma insisted, wanting to protect her son.

"Aye, let's take them down!" Hook agreed, rushing forward and taking out a few of the nightmares on his side. Jack blasted ice towards the ones in front of him, freezing them all before they exploded in a shower of snow and sand. Remembering how he slowed them down before, Jack began to call forth a blizzard in Storybrooke, holding his staff above his head and shooting a blast of blue magic into the sky. It began to rumble, clouds appearing as the temperature dropped and the wind picked up speed. "What was that?" Emma gasped out, feeling tired from the fight.

Jack grinned at them, once again holding his staff ready for fighting. He swung it at a horse that had gotten too close, not even bothering to use magic on this one. It backed off immediately, not liking the pressure and cold that emanated from Jack's staff. "Just a little bit of snow." Jack told her, watching it begin to fall down. "Snow? What is snow going to do against them?" Emma asked, watching him carefully. "It slows them down. They hate the cold, surprisingly." Jack told her, grinning as she purified yet another nightmare.

"Ah yes, typically cold and dark would go well together, but this is more like cold and sand. That is another story entirely, wouldn't you agree, Jack Frost?" a voice called out, hidden within the darkness of the nightmares. Jack grew tense immediately, his smile vanishing as he recognized the voice of his old enemy. "Pitch! Show yourself!" he yelled, sending a much more powerful wave of ice through the nightmares. It created a massive path for all of them, destroying more nightmares in one blow than he had destroyed throughout the entire fight so far.

Pitch smiled, feeling entertained now that Jack was fighting back. Yes, he would have preferred to win unopposed, but at least Frost was making it fun. He would play this game with the boy for now, before moving on to the rest of the world. No matter how many nightmares Jack destroyed, Pitch knew he could create more. His army was endless, much like his own power, and he would stop at nothing to destroy the belief in this world. Jack Frost might have his fighting spirit back, but he was still nothing compared to Pitch Black.

 **Please review and tell me what you think!**


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer:** I am not the owner of Rise of the Guardians or Once Upon a Time

(Today in Storybrooke)

Jaimie wanted to go outside and help Jack, but he knew that he was safer inside. Jack would only get worried if Jaimie followed him and it would only create more distraction out there. Even so, he found himself growing worried about his friend. Jack was strong, but Pitch seemed to have gotten more powerful since Jaimie had last seen him. He hoped that Jack was still strong enough to win. "You okay?" a voice asked from next to him, making him jump. It was the queen again, with a younger boy by her side. The boy was about his own age, with brown hair and a book in his hands.

"Y-yeah. Just worried about Jack." Jaimie told them, feeling uncomfortable around her. He knew that she said she was changing, but he couldn't quite forget about what she had almost done to him. "I can imagine. I know what it is like to worry about people you care about. It is only normal." Regina told him, trying to make him feel better. She sat down in the booth next to him, Henry sitting on the other side. "I just wish there was some way I could help him." Jaimie said, glancing down at the table and not meeting their eyes.

"You are helping, by staying here and keeping Jack focused. Do you really think Jack would be able to put all of his attention into stopping Pitch with you there?" Henry asked, also joining his mom's efforts in cheering up this boy. Jaimie shrugged, knowing that it was true but feeling useless anyway. "I know, but it just reminds me so much of last time. I had been with Jack then and I couldn't do anything. Nothing's changed." Jaimie said with a sigh.

"I think quite a lot has changed. Time may have stopped during the curse, Jaimie, but you did go through a lot then. You have grown since you last met Jack and learned much in that time. Maybe you can't help him in this battle, but you can learn and fight by his side another day." Regina told him, feeling responsible for this boy. She had done something terrible to him as the evil queen and she wanted to make up for it. This actually got Jaimie's attention, making him feel better. He could always learn more, maybe even learning how to use magic like Jack and Emma. One day, he would be strong enough to fight on his own and help Jack and the Guardians. Smiling, Jaimie nodded at Henry and Regina. "Thanks, I think I needed to hear that." Jaime told them, glancing outside once more and waiting for his friend to return. It would only be a matter of time before this battle ended.

Meanwhile, Pitch had just announced his presence to the heroes fighting against his army. He laughed at their attempts to stop him, watching the pirate try and fight like North with his single sword and the girl attempt to mimic Sandy by purifying his nightmares. As strong as they were, they were no match for Pitch. Now that he was here, the real fun was going to begin and these pitiful heroes would fall. To prove his point, he created a wave of pure darkness and sent it flying towards the girl, hoping to destroy her first. Her efforts might be enough to bring back belief in this world, something he could not allow.

"No!" Jack yelled, seeing the blast and flying straight for Emma to get her out of the way. She had begun trying to use her magic against it, but it didn't even slow down the wave. All she could do was stand there as it approached, waiting for it to strike. Just as it was about to hit her and send her flying to the ground, another force hit her on the side, hard, sending her flying out of the path of the dark wave. "That's his other main attack, his control over darkness. It can come from anywhere and unlike this sand, you can't purify it." Jack told her, setting her back down on the ground. Emma nodded, her eyes wide as she recovered from her near fatal mistake.

"This fellow is rather annoying. How on earth did you deal with him before?" Hook asked, frowning as he tried to spot their main enemy. Jack chuckled, knowing that he didn't really have much of an answer for the pirate. Pitch only revealed his position when he felt it was right, creating either a dramatic entrance or a brilliant sneak attack. "He hides in the shadows, using darkness to conceal his presence. Not much we can do about that, we simply waited and struck when we had the chance." Jack told him, searching for Pitch on his own. As more nightmares came closer, he had to stop and fend them off, blasting them with his ice as the blizzard around him began to grow in strength. It might take some time, but eventually this blizzard would at least slow down the nightmares, giving them a chance to focus on locating the King of Nightmares.

"He hides in darkness? Then why don't we bring a little light to this place." Emma suggested, holding her hands out and closing her eyes as she focused. Jack watched, interested in her plan, as light was created in her palms. It was bright, but not very strong. It was hardly able to leave her palms and after a few moments, it died out and Emma stumbled a bit in exhaustion. "Not enough. I'm almost out of magic and there are too many of them!" Emma said, growing worried now that she realized the truth. Maybe if she had conserved her strength, she would have succeeded.

Jack was beginning to think the same thing, but his eyes began to focus on something else in front of him. Pitch wasn't visible, but there was a small light appearing in the distance, shining brightly as it grew stronger. It appeared to be coming from a spot where moonlight was shining, making Jack wonder if Manny was sending him help. "Just what are you up to?" he wondered, glancing at that spot. "Now is not the time to get distracted by pretty lights, mate! Focus on the fight!" Hook complained, using his hook to rip apart another creature in front of him. Jack shook his head, trying to snap out of his daze, but that was when the light exploded out, blasting away all of the nightmares and forcing all three of them to fall on their backs with the strength of the blast.

As the light and wind died down, Jack could see that the army of nightmares had practically vanished. He was surrounded by piles of dark sand, but it no longer had any form. Jack continued searching, trying to figure out where that light had come from. He froze when he saw them, standing directly under the moonlight and ready to fight. "North!" Jack yelled, seeing the big man first before he realized that all of the Guardians were here, with the exception of Sandy. He was probably still with that other man, but Jack wasn't too concerned. With all of them here, Pitch didn't stand a chance.

"Jack! It is good to see you!" North said, walking forward and patting him on his back. Tooth flew over as well, needing to make sure he had taken good care of his teeth while she was gone. Jack stumbled back as she shoved her hands into his mouth, inspecting them carefully before standing back and nodding. "Just as lovely as ever, Jack!" she said with a smile, while Jack rubbed his jaw in discomfort. She did that every time she saw him, making him wonder just what had gotten her so obsessed with teeth in the first place. "Really? Instead of talking with your imaginary friends, how about some help over here!" Hook complained, having found Pitch before they noticed him. He was trying to run, knowing that he would lose if he faced all of them united right now. The Sandman might be missing, but they were close enough to all of the Big Four that he wasn't going to take the risk.

"Oh no you don't!" Jack yelled, freezing the ground and letting his ice travel up Pitch's legs, freezing him in place. "Nice one, mate. Didn't think you had it in you." Bunny commented, seeing how well Jack had reacted to Pitch's attempted escape. "Thanks, I really appreciate the compliment, Kangaroo." Jack said with a grin, knowing it would irritate the Guardian of Hope. "How many times do I have to tell you? I'm a bunny, mate, the Easter Bunny." he replied, pulling out his boomerang and stepping closer to Pitch.

"Hook, you do realize that there are others here?" Emma asked, still shocked at what she was seeing. Even though she had known they were out there, none of them were what she was expecting. Her idea of what Santa would look like had been close, with the long white beard and big stomach, but this one was Russian and had tattoos covering his arms. The cute and cuddly Easter Bunny was actually a giant Australian Rabbit. Even the Tooth Fairy was nothing like she had imagined, covered in colorful feathers instead of just looking somewhat human with wings.

"Don't worry, love, I see them too." Hook promised, knowing his words had been designed just to get Jack moving. The boy got distracted far too easily, even now. "Look, I can explain everything! Just give me a chance! Jack, you understand, don't you?" Pitch begged, feeling afraid now that he had seen Manny's intervention. His payment was coming and he did not want to find out what it would be. Jack glanced at the spirit sadly, knowing that at one time Pitch might have been an okay guy. Maybe if things had turned out differently, he could have been friends with Pitch, but there was no way he was letting Jaimie get hurt by this man. "I'm not like you, Pitch. I might have suffered and been alone, but I didn't try to make others suffer like I did. I found enjoyment in the small things in life, having fun and playing with children even though they couldn't see me." Jack told him, standing with the Guardians. He was ready to take his place as one of them, if this was what it meant for him. It felt right, fighting against beings like Pitch and protecting children. It was what he was meant to do, the answer to the question he had been asking his entire life.

As Jack spoke, behind him the moonlight was illuminating the dream sand on the ground. It began to rise again, bringing the army of nightmares back to life. Pitch saw them and began to grin, laughing at the Guardians in front of him. Even after all these years, they still feared him enough to bring life back to his creations. "Looks like things aren't over yet, Guardians. My nightmares always smell fear." he announced with a smile, feeling some of his worry fade. North glanced at them and shrugged, not knowing what had brought them back. "They can't be my nightmares, I'm not afraid." he commented, watching the other Guardians nod with him.

Pitch saw the moonlight then, realizing the truth of North's words. This was his payment, to suffer as he had made others suffer for years. He managed to break free of Jack's ice, feeling sharp pain as it cut into his legs but running anyway. The nightmares chased after him, not letting him escape. As soon as they surrounded him, Pitch began to fall to the ground, falling through the final portal he would ever make as his own power consumed him. He would live forever in his own personal nightmare, paying for using magic and neglecting to protect the belief in his world.

Jack had watched him fall, wanting to help but knowing that it would only create more problems. Pitch could not be allowed to return, not if they wanted to keep everyone safe. Standing tall, Jack smiled softly into the sky. It was a new night, with the moon hanging high above their heads. He finally had his purpose and he had people who could see him for once in his life. "Thanks for the help, Manny. Thank you for everything." Jack whispered, feeling North wrap his arm around his shoulders. Jack grinned even wider, knowing he would never be alone again. He was a Guardian, one that would always be around to protect children and the fun in the world.

 **Please review and tell me what you think!**


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer:** I am not the owner of Rise of the Guardians or Once Upon a Time

 **Sorry for the late update, had a busy day yesterday! Here is the final chapter of the story, I hope you enjoy and thank you all for reading!**

(Today in Storybrooke)

Gold had returned to his shop after leaving Manny's realm, trying to determine a new plan to get more power for the Sandman. Clearly, these friends of his weren't an option. He understood all too well that magic came with a price and if they were paying it right now, he could not interfere. He was standing in the back room, staring down at his sleeping wife as he tried to think of just what could be done to bring her back. Even if she claimed to not love him anymore, Gold was confident that he could convince her otherwise. After all, they were going to have a child together and that child would need their father.

"Please Belle, I know you're angry with me. I need you here, though. If you could just bring yourself to love me again, I know this will work." he begged, leaning down and kissing her once more. Even if it had failed once, he had to try true love's kiss once more. As he pulled away and saw no change, he felt pain deep inside of him. Even trapped in the netherworld, she still could not bring herself to love him again. He glanced around the room, feeling lost and out of options. Without true love's kiss or belief in the Sandman, Belle would remain trapped under this curse forever.

Sandy had been wandering around the front of the shop, letting the man have a moment alone with his wife. He wanted to help wake her up, but he still felt too drained of his powers to do so. If only he could create some more dreams for children. That would spread belief like wildfire, allowing him to regain his powers and help break this curse. He stepped closer to the room where Belle and Rumple were waiting, watching silently for a moment before entering as he saw how broken Gold looked. He gently touched the man's back, giving him a small smile and trying to give him some hope.

"Not now, Sandman. Unless you came to tell me you can awaken Belle, I suggest you leave once more." Gold said, putting some menace into his voice. He did not want to be disturbed, not while he was mourning the potential loss of his wife and unborn child. Sandy pulled his hand away, frowning at this man's immediate jump towards threats any time he tried to help Rumple. He didn't like it at all, but he hoped that this girl was different. Maybe she could find a way to purify his dark heart when she was awake.

Just as Sandy was about to leave, he sensed a major change within himself. He felt stronger, more belief coming in as he just stood and waited. Nothing had been changing at all throughout the day, and he wondered what had been able to increase belief in him so suddenly. Glancing outside the windows of the shop, Sandy saw the nightmares and the girl fighting them. He watched her purify one, transforming it into a wonderful dream that flew into the sky, off to provide a child with a good dream. Smiling, Sandy knew that this was exactly where this belief came from and he knew he had to act now before Pitch took that belief away once more.

Returning to the back room, Sandy pushed Gold aside to lean down by Belle. "How dare you-" Gold began, angry that this magical man had separated him from his wife. He stopped when he saw the Sandman sprinkling his golden sand on her. This time, instead of forming a new dream for her, it seemed to glow brightly as it covered her body. Darkness seemed to seep outside of her, getting absorbed by the sand that he had placed on her. Eventually, the darkness stopped coming out and the sand stayed still, no longer a brilliant gold but a dark black color instead.

Gold no longer cared about the Sandman's presence, he only wanted to see Belle. Shoving the small man aside, he knelt down by his wife and waited to see if she would wake up. Sandy was angry that Gold hadn't even thanked him for helping, letting sand burst out of his ears to let off some steam. Gold didn't even notice, too focused on Belle to see him. Her eyes were slowly beginning to open, blinking a few times as she tried to determine where she was. She slowly began to recognize her husband's shop, along with the fact that he was sitting by her side. "Rumple? Is our child safe now?" Belle asked, sitting up and looking at him.

Gold nodded, wanting to reassure that Belle was happy. "Of course, everything is taken care of, just like I promised." he told her, grabbing her hand only to have her pull away. She wasn't willing to resume their relationship yet, not after seeing all of his darkness. "Rumple, I know you think that I'll learn to accept you like this, but I just can't. For the safety of our child, he needs to grow up without your dark influence." she insisted, prepared to get up and leave right then. Seeing her actions, Rumple knew he had to act quickly. He didn't want to lose her again, not when he had just worked so hard to bring her back.

"Belle, please." he begged, desperate to keep her here with him. "Just what did you expect me to do, Rumple? I've tried so hard to bring out the good in you, but you always choose darkness in the end. Your power is and always has been your greatest love. Nobody can change that, not me and certainly not this child." Belle told him, feeling like she was about to cry. Despite her words, she still loved the man she once thought he was. She wanted that good side of Rumple to live on, but he had proved over and over that he would always choose darkness over her.

Closing his eyes, Gold realized he had to decide now. He had made this decision before, with Baelfire, to keep his magic instead of keep his son. Slowly, Gold began to pull out his dagger, the real one, and stare down at it as he made his decision. Even if he had tricked her with this before, he would let her use it to test if it was real. He would do anything, if it meant keeping her and his child safely by his side. He would not make the same mistake twice. "Alright, Belle, you win. You're right, just like you always have been about me. I'm a coward, a coward who hides behind power and darkness. Perhaps you could be my guiding light, though. I know I've done this before and that I lied to you back then, but I promise, this is the real dagger. Use it if you must do so to believe me, Belle. I just want you to stay here, so I can have a chance to be a father again. Don't make me lose another child, Belle, I can't go through that again." he pleaded, holding the dagger out towards her.

Belle stopped, glancing at him questioningly. He clearly seemed to be serious about this, but she couldn't be sure right now. Hesitantly, she reached out and wrapped her hand around the hilt of the dagger, staring down at the decorated silver surface with his name written on it. "I don't need to test it, Rumple. You know I don't want to control you." she said softly, feeling like she just might have gotten her husband back after all of this time. "You'll stay?" he asked, feeling somewhat hopeful as she took the dagger from him. As nervous as he was surrendering that power, he knew that there was no other choice if he wanted to regain Belle's trust. Belle nodded, smiling and wrapping her arms around Rumple. As they embraced, Sandy watched from the background with a smile on his face. At least there was someone in this world who could bring some light to this man's heart.

Sandy turned around to leave, knowing that this ward was nothing to him now that he was at his full strength. Blowing some sand out in front of him, he watched it stick to the ward before absorbing the magic within it. It vanished along with his sand, giving Sandy his freedom and a chance to help deal with Pitch. When he arrived, he was surprised to see that there was no fight going on anymore. Wandering around further, he could hear voices coming from inside a diner nearby, making him want to see if Jack was in there. Perhaps together they could find a way to help the other Guardians.

Stepping inside, Sandy stared at the scene in front of him. Jack Frost and the Guardians were all laughing together, sitting by the counter and eating food with their new friends. This was a time to celebrate. Pitch had been defeated and the children of the world were safe. Jack had Jaimie back and the Guardians had returned to this world. "So, you promise not to mess with my egg hunts, Frost?" Bunny clarified, not wanting to let him join without that promise. He wasn't going to let another easter be ruined because of his snow.

"Who said anything about that? Kids like snow anytime of the year, right Jaimie?" Jack asked, glancing down at his favorite believer. Jaimie grinned at them, thrilled to be talking to all of the beings he had believed in for so long. "Definitely. We need some snow days in summer too, Jack." Jaimie commented, earning himself a laugh from the winter spirit and a glare from Bunny. "Why you little-" Bunny began, only to be interrupted when North patted his back. "Calm down, Bunny! Everything will be fine." North told him, happy to have Jack on their side unlike Bunny.

"Of course! Jack can help protect the children, Bunny. We need him on our side, Manny himself said so." Tooth argued, making Bunny grumble and turn away from them all. They were teaming up against him and it wasn't fair. "Alright, no arguments allowed today. This is a celebration! Storybrooke has finally defeated Pitch Black and we are enemy free for at least one day!" Snow announced, standing up in the center of the diner to try and calm everyone down. Not everyone could see the Guardians, but the people that could were amused by their small disagreement.

Emma was the first one to notice Sandy in the door, smiling as she walked over to him. "Hey. Glad to see that Gold finally let you go." Emma commented, gesturing for him to come inside. Sandy nodded, smiling over at her even though Gold hadn't technically released him. Sandy had decided that he was done helping that man and had left on his own. "Those are your friends right?" she asked him, getting another nod from the spirit. "Well, they sure are a handful. Good luck dealing with Jack, he doesn't know when to stop playing games." she told him with a small smile, remembering the snowball fight she had with him. It had been fun, but the timing was awful.

Jaimie saw the Sandman then and grinned, waving happily at the newcomer to the party. "Sandy! Get over here and help us celebrate!" North cheered, seeing the spirit as well. "Glad to see you survived your encounter with this Dark One. You have no idea how dark that man's heart was." Jack commented, shaking his head but happy to see Sandy anyway. Walking over, Sandy smiled and began joining his friends in their celebration. As they talked, it became obvious that Jack was going to return and sign the Book of Guardians, joining them and helping them defend the children of the world. This town had been saved and Pitch was gone, but they could always use another Guardian. Glancing outside at the moon shining high, Sandy smiled at their friend for giving them this new spirit to help. It seemed that all of them, even the Guardians themselves, needed to learn to have a little fun after all. Jack Frost was the only person who could show them that, and Sandy knew that he would always stay by their side. After all, the moon had told him he was a Guardian, and when the moon tells you something, you believe it.

 **Please review and tell me what you think!**


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